League of Seven
by MantaI-305Apollo'sChariot
Summary: Now on her way to becoming an ice master, Elsa questions whether to attempt to go along with Pabbie's legend or leave it for the next mage to try to deal with it after a failed mission. Elsa, her family, and new friends and old must join together to form the long-awaited League of Seven to rid their world of an ancient but well-hidden enemy. Someone will be left behind. . .
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Thanks you for clicking on my story! As usual, I don't own Elsa & co., or the movie. Disney does. I only own any OCs that may show up.  
**

 **This is a direct sequel to Take Charge, the monster-length 330,000+ word epic installment I last finished. I have greatly enjoyed writing "my" canon-based storyverse timeline.:) And The Manta is back after months to continue. I am very sorry for the long, long wait, and I just want to say I greatly appreciate the "When is the next update, MantaI-?" messages. That tells me people are enjoying my writing, and that means a lot. I've just had 1) computer issues, and 2) SCHOOL ASSIGNMENTS, and 3) writer's block. I like things to be 'just right' before sharing them. I have quite a bit of this story edited to my satisfaction now, so there should be regular updates at least for awhile.:)**

 **On to the story!**

 _She was lying somewhere dark and uncomfortable. She felt glued to the floor._

 _…can't move…Olaf, get help. please. …don't understand…_

 _"Elsa, help!"_

 _What is Anna doing here? I'm sorry, Anna, I_ can't move _! Elsa tried to speak up, but something seemed to be preventing her from making any noise._

 _"See, I told you she's pathetic. Pretty, but pathetic. She's not going to do a thing."_

 _I would if I could just_ do _something! Anna, please understand. I'm right here, and I…I…what is going on?_

 _My ice isn't working. And…and something hurts really, really bad._

 _"Don't hurt Elsa!"_

 _"Fine, take her place, then."_

 _No! No, Anna, don't do that! Please don't. Please…_

 _I still can't make a sound. I can't even scream._

 _… …_

 _…_

 _"So weak, Elsa. You should have killed us when you had the chance. Now we'll take care of you, too."_

 _I thought I did. This can't be happening again! Anna, please…please be okay, I…_

 _"Elsa, why…why? You were supposed to protect me. It hurts!"_

 _I tried, I'm sorry…_

 _they_ are _dead, I know it._

… _screaming…_

 _just_

 _screaming and there's nothing, nothing at all and I can't_ do _anything and-_

 _wait my ice is working now, I have to get them away from us!_

 _"Elsa, what have you done?! You just_ killed _people! How could you do that? Even dark Elsa didn't kill anyone. Monster!"_

 _"Anna, I…I had to, I-"_

"Elsa! Elsa, wake up! It's just me, Anna!" Elsa heard the voice but still couldn't quite make the connection that the concerned voice shouting at her was a perfectly fine Anna, and that they were not stuck somewhere with people that wanted to hurt them. She screwed her eyes shut and curled up in a tighter ball, frost crawling up her arms and snowflakes tumbling around her. _Anna, please don't hurt me, I had to do it, I didn't want them to hurt you and I'm scared and I don't understand. What did I do?_

Anna nudged little Anikka towards the door. "Anikka, go over to my room and stay there, 'kay? I'll come get you in a little while," she told the little girl. "I think there's some picture books under my bed. You can look at those or something."

"Is Elsa gonna be all right?" Anikka asked, her brown eyes wide in fear. "She's crying an' screaming an' she won't wake up!"

"She's going to be fine. It's just a nightmare," Anna told her, though honestly to her it wasn't 'just' a nightmare if it was making Elsa that upset. "Just go do as I say, all right? I'll come get you, I promise." Anna waited until the little girl was gone before turning her attention back to Elsa. _Ok. Blankets, check. Door shut, check. Hold on, Elsa, you're going to be fine._ "Elsa, it's just me," she said softly, draping one of the extra blankets over the older girl before tentatively touching her shoulder.

Elsa instantly jerked at the contact, but she was quiet now even though she was still crying and felt awfully confused and frightened. _I don't feel hurt. What happened? Anna's…here? Is she hurt? She doesn't sound hurt. Or angry with me._ "An…Anna, I _had_ t' do it, I'm sorry! They're dead-they c-can't hurt us anymore, can they? I…I…I just-please d-don't hurt me. _Please_ …"

Anna balled her free hand into a fist and bit her lip. _I know exactly what that nightmare was, for sure now._ "I'm _not_ going to hurt you," Anna said quietly but firmly. She touched Elsa's shoulder again, but the older girl cringed away and curled up even farther under the covers. Anna sighed and pulled her hand back. "C'mon, Elsa, wake up. I know you're in there somewhere. You're safe. No stupid creeps. And I'm _glad_ you executed them, not mad at you for it."

Elsa scooted a bit closer to Anna. She felt Anna's hand gently stroking her hair, and she relaxed a bit. Anna knew what was wrong. Anna knew what the bad dream was, and she wasn't laughing or pooh-poohing her for being scared, either. "I'm…sorry," she whispered finally. _I'm sorry for panicking like that. I'm sorry for waking you up. I'm sorry for not being able to deal with things like a normal person._

"It's all right, no worries." Pause. "I'm going to give you a hug, Elsa," Anna added, just to give Elsa some warning so she wouldn't panic again.

Elsa felt something soft and fluffy wrapped around her, and then Anna just hugging her tightly. _I did it again. Anna should be asleep, and I woke her up because I'm still scared from…that incident. This is ridiculous._ "It's been two weeks," she muttered. "Anikka…is she all right? Did I hurt her?"

"No, she woke up first and woke me up to help. I sent her to my room to wait for us. She's fine," Anna assured her. Elsa's room was freezing, so she'd slipped on a winter quilted robe and now she could feel the temperature returning to normal. _Elsa's all right. She just needs more time to heal and she'll be fine,_ she thought, forcing herself not to cry. "And two weeks is barely any time at all. It's all right to still be upset from that whole thing. Besides, this doesn't happen every night. Only three or four times total in the whole two weeks," Anna pointed out, squeezing the older girl close. "Is your leg hurting?" she asked.

"Some." _A lot, but it's okay,_ she thought mentally. Elsa had ended up with a broken leg after Grand Pabbie's mirror test for mastering magic, but since it had been caused by Elsa's own magic, it healed much, much faster than it would have otherwise. Still, she could not walk without her brace-unless she counted a couple steps with _lots_ of help-and it still ached sometimes. If she was scared that just made it a lot worse. That mirror test had been the same thing that had left her unable to defend herself when those criminals had attacked her. Luckily Olaf had managed to get help before it was too late. The whole incident was still seared into Elsa's mind, and after executing them so they wouldn't do the same to anyone else, she still felt horribly guilty despite what they had done. "Thank you for not…leaving me alone," she added. "And for not calling me a…a monster for doing…that to them."

"What?! Elsa, why on earth would I do that? I wish you had beaten them up first, to be honest! Look what they did to you! You were starting to really be all right most of the time at night and now you're having horrible nightmares again!" Anna scowled, clutching Elsa protectively in her arms. She honestly did not want to hear about it, but talking about nightmares always seemed to help Elsa sleep peacefully the rest of the night before, so she went ahead and asked Elsa to tell her about the rotten dream.

But just like the other times she'd asked Elsa to tell her about _this_ nightmare, the older girl shook her head firmly. Elsa would not talk to her little sister about this one, simply because she didn't want the images in Anna's head. She knew Anna knew what it was about. There was no need to add nasty details. Elsa found herself remembering odd details like smells and the roughness of the stone floor in the dungeon cell against her back and the sound of her weak ice barrier breaking. And the image of that icicle flying clear across the Great Hall and then sticking in the wall when she'd executed the first criminal. Not only did Elsa honestly not want to stick Anna with the whole thing, how _could_ she explain it? That she could still _feel_ those awful hands choking her and their owner looking all too pleased that she could not fight back? Or the scared fire of pain that erupted all over when they kicked or hit her? And the brief moment of panic when she'd first come to after blacking out that they really had succeeded in doing the unimaginable before Kristoff told her they hadn't. And _after_ that, the picture in her mind of her attacker's terrified expression the instant before her icicle claimed his life. She couldn't get that picture out of her head completely. She'd taken lives. Permanently. That wasn't something she could undo or take back. Granted they could not try to hurt Anna or her or anyone else again, but…they had still been human, and now they were dead.

"I know what the dream was about, sis. It's all right to tell me, I can take it," Anna said quietly.

"If you already know what it was about, then I don't have to repeat it," came Elsa's mumbled response.

"Not the point and you know it. This is about _you_ , Elsa. I want this to stop hurting you so bad. You're scared and feel guilty, which is perfectly normal, but you've gotta let me help. Or tell someone else about this if you don't want to tell me," Anna suggested.

Elsa bit her lip at that comment. _I can't do that. Everyone already sees a damaged young girl. I don't want to add to that. And…it's_ embarrassing. _Not only do I still feel horrible about it, I just…it's…personal._ "I can still see their expressions," she said finally. There. That was true, and it didn't fill up her baby sister's mind with awful, awful things.

"Can you tell me anything else?" Anna's voice was quiet, trying to reassure Elsa that it was all right to talk about it. _Good grief, Elsa, I can easily imagine the whole thing. You won't be telling me anything I don't already know._

"He…he accused me of enjoying what him and his friends did, before I…killed him," she murmured almost inaudibly. Elsa felt tears trickling down her cheeks, but Anna holding her kept her mostly calm. _I'm okay. Anna is right here, and she's not mad at me. She understands. I know she does. I was just scared and my mind came up with irrational things because I'm a pessimist, that's all._

"He's a huge scuzzbag," Anna told her vehemently. She wished Elsa had let the guards beat them up before executing them. _How dare they say something like that to her?! Just…ugh._

"Where'd you get that word?" Elsa asked curiously.

"Kristoff. He called them a lot of other far more colorful names, just so you know," Anna informed her, sounding quite pleased about this. "He was also very, very glad when you executed them, and very, very disappointed you didn't make them suffer first or let someone else beat them up."

Elsa actually smiled a tiny bit. "Gerda said my ice-dress saved me because it wouldn't rip," she whispered. "My shoulder was all bruised and scratched up, but…private-me was okay." Elsa felt her face flush in embarrassment, and she was glad she was wrapped up in a blanket so Anna didn't see her face.

Anna clenched her jaw, wishing not for the first time that she had been there with Elsa instead of off trying to save everyone's memories with Emily and Rapunzel. She pulled away a bit and looked Elsa right in the face. "Did any of them, you know…touch you through your dress?" she asked gently, not quite sure if she wanted to know the answer.

"I…I don't know." Elsa's expression scrunched up in confusion as she honestly tried to remember. "Does here count?" she asked, her voice hesitant.

"Yes," Anna spat shortly. Elsa had her hand over her heart on her chest. "That definitely counts."

"Someone hit me and said something nasty. It hurt."

Anna had no idea what to say to that, especially since Elsa had quite honestly sounded like a little kid when she'd said that.

Elsa met Anna's gaze earnestly. "Not…not a monster f-for killing them? Promise?"

Anna tugged her close and gave her a hug. "Not a monster, Elsa. They're the monsters for trying to hurt you like that and trying to do the same to me," she said firmly. "I love you very, very much. You didn't do anything wrong, you are not evil, and you are not a monster for killing would-be r-"

"Don't say it," Elsa interrupted. "Please. Th…thank you for understanding," she whispered. She yawned and relaxed in Anna's arms. Anna did not think she was bad or a monster. She was okay, really. _Really._ "And thank you for…helping me feel better."

"You don't have to say thank you for that. Ever. And…" Anna went ahead and asked her if she minded coming back to Anna's room instead of staying by herself the rest of the night. "Anikka's in there too, remember, so we can have a mini sleepover," she suggested.

Elsa nodded and closed her eyes again. She was safe; Anna would not hurt her; she would protect her and take care of little Anikka, too. So there. Elsa was asleep before they reached Anna's room.

* * *

"Are you sure Elsa's ok?" Anikka asked again. She curled up next to Elsa and pressed herself close. Even if Elsa was a big girl, she obviously still needed help. Anikka didn't know how to help, but she did know she was going to try. Besides, Elsa might need help herself, but she loved her, Anikka, too.

"She will be. You remember those bad men that tried to hurt her; that's what made her so upset," Anna explained, carefully being vague. She slipped back into bed herself and put her arm around both Elsa and Anikka.

"They _did_ hurt Elsa!" Anikka pointed out. "And then Punzie fixed Elsa and th' bad men are gone." She clearly remembered when they were all hiding in the cellar from that magic explosive thing she still didn't quite understand and then Elsa was there and she was hurt and Anikka had sort of overheard what happened.

Anna wasn't sure what to say to that. The little girl was six. She didn't understand _at all_ what could have happened. "Those bad men wanted to _really_ hurt Elsa," she said finally, thinking that that sounded stupid, but no way was she trying to explain the whole thing to a little kid.

"But they _did_ ," Anikka insisted. "I SAW Elsa, an' she was hurt!"

"All right, all right, shh," Anna replied quickly, not wanting to wake Elsa up. "Don't worry about it, Anikka. I'll take super good care of Elsa and she'll be fine, I promise."

"Who's gonna take care of you?"

"Elsa," Anna said firmly.

"That doesn't make sense."

"Why ever not?"

"'Cause Elsa's hurt."

Anna's fist clenched in the covers. She felt tears burning in her eyes, and she held the other two girls tightly. _Anikka, be quiet before I snap at you. You better not tell Elsa that._ "She can still take care of me and everyone else," she said softly. "Why would you say that? You've seen Elsa get hurt before."

Anikka was quiet for awhile, and Anna thought she might have fallen asleep. But then she spoke up again. "Elsa take…takes care of ev'ryone. Never, ever care for self. All the…hurt Elsa is getting more'n'more. Won't be ok sometime if it's too much."

"Elsa just needs some TLC, same as you or me or anyone else," Anna said firmly. She had felt Elsa tense under her arm, and she was worried the older girl had overheard the whole thing. "Elsa, if you are listening, Anikka is right, but so am I," she added.

Elsa was indeed listening; Anna and Anikka talking had woken her up. She said nothing, but she hugged little Anikka tightly and scooted closer to Anna. _We're fine. So there._

* * *

The next night Elsa stayed in her own room by herself; no Anna or Anikka. "You spoil me," she'd told Anna. "I want to be able to be perfectly fine by myself." Then Anna had hugged her and agreed, but only under the condition that Elsa would come get her if she had a nightmare. _'You're our only hope. Please, save us. But be careful!'_ It _wasn't_ really a nightmare, at least not Elsa's definition of one, but she found herself abruptly wide awake all the same. "It didn't even feel like a dream," she muttered to herself, shaking her head. _I shouldn't wake up Anna for this. This is ridiculous. It wasn't even a nightmare…just a weird voice or something._ Elsa flopped back into the pillows and closed her eyes, but she didn't fall back asleep.

"Elsa, you look sleepy. Did you stay up really late last night working or something?" Anna asked at breakfast the next morning.

Elsa shook her head. "I didn't stay up really late last night, no," she replied, carefully separating her eggs and pancakes on the plate so they didn't touch. _I just woke up in the wee hours of the morning and couldn't get back to sleep afterwards._

Anna frowned. "Then did you have a bad dream? I _know_ you didn't get enough sleep last night. You've got dark circles and you just look tired. You promised to come get me if you had a nightmare."

Elsa didn't answer right away. _It wasn't really a bad dream, but…it certainly wasn't a good one, either. I don't want to worry Anna._ "My leg ached and I couldn't get back to sleep," she said finally. That was…sort of true. Though Elsa's magic told her that her broken leg was healed and she could walk on it again, it still hurt sometimes.

Elsa thought maybe it had something to do with the weather, since her 'storm sense' connected with her magic told her they would have a downpour and a thunderstorm starting at lunchtime at noon.

"There's something else, too. You _never_ voluntarily admit when you're hurting. So…" Anna paused for effect, "I think you're telling the truth but that's not really what kept you up." Elsa made a slightly put-out expression, and Anna couldn't help giggling, even though she was worried. "I'm right, seeing that funny face you're making!"

"Maybe," was all Elsa would concede to. "It's going to thunderstorm later," she added, just to change the subject. _Anna, please don't ask any more questions. It was probably nothing, just me being touchy, as usual._

 _If it was nothing, you wouldn't mind telling Anna about it, Elsa. If you don't tell her, she's going to be more worried than if you explained it._ Sure enough, Anna looked more worried now than when she'd asked the question in the first place. Elsa sighed and stared at her pancakes. Maybe she should just go ahead and tell Anna. It was probably nothing, but maybe Anna could tell her what she thought about it. "I…heard a voice. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it…didn't feel like a dream. I know I was asleep, but then I woke up and…I don't know…it sounds crazy…"

"Maybe it was a ghost," Anna suggested, sounding slightly too excited about that idea in Elsa's opinion.

"Thanks a lot. That's ever so reassuring," Elsa deadpanned. She did not think she believed in any such thing, but considering she had magic and there were trolls, maybe it was possible. Who knew?

"All right, all right, it probably wasn't a ghost," Anna told her. "Are you sure you didn't just imagine it, Elsa? I mean, you were obviously sleepy, or half asleep or something. Maybe it was just a dream. What did the voice say?"

Elsa hesitated. " 'You're our only hope. Please, save us. But be careful!'," she said, matching the tone she remembered as well as she could. "It sounded strained, like it was frightened and in pain." Elsa wrapped her arms around her middle and dropped her gaze to her lap. "I…Anna, I _know_ it sounds stupid and illogical, since I was asleep, after all, but it didn't feel like a dream. I have had nightmares, lots of them, and you know it-you saw me the night before last-and this was not that. When I have a nightmare, it's like being in or watching a very vivid one of those moving picture things, like it's actually happening. Dream-me can feel pain, for example, even though it's not real. There was nothing but that voice. No picture to go with it, no anything."

"Maybe you just can't remember? Hey, wait a minute. Elsa, were you looking at that old prophecy legend thing before you went to sleep?" Anna hopped up and went to give Elsa a hug when the older girl slowly nodded. "I think you just scared yourself and you imagined someone calling for help, since we all are very sure there's other natural mages like you being held by those white trolls."

Elsa was happy to accept Anna's hug, but Anna's explanation had not convinced her that it was nothing. It sounded reasonable enough, but… "What if someone really was calling for help? Like if there's a telepathic mage? If they could send messages like Linnae can?" she asked in a small voice.

Anna frowned and squeezed Elsa closer. "That's a huge, huge 'if', Elsa. Other people's magic can't meddle with you anyway-we know that for a fact. Even if there _was_ a mage that could read minds or something, they wouldn't be able to read yours."

"But receiving a message isn't the same as reading my mind, and I was asleep besides. My magic might not have been completely awake, either. Maybe it sort goes to sleep itself when I do."

"That's silly. I don't wanna bring it up, but when Jade captured us, she…she tried to use one of the power crystals to burn your hands. It didn't work, and you were unconscious. Your magic just rejected it automatically. That creep had to use 'natural' heat." Anna was glad that Elsa didn't seem too upset at the reminder; she'd tensed up, but she was otherwise fine. Anna decided she did not like that determined look on her sister's face. "Elsa…"

Elsa pulled away. "Thank you, Anna. I…I'm done with my breakfast." _I need to go try something._

"Elsa, what are you doing? Don't do anything dangerous…please? I-"

"I'm not going anywhere right now. Just up to my room," Elsa assured her.

Anna sighed. Elsa wasn't going anywhere 'right now'? That implied she _was_ going to go somewhere, just not right that second. _Elsa, what are you up to?_

 **A/N: For your reference, a refresher on the scroll message Elsa and her friends first read back in the last chapter of Take Charge:**

 _ **'On earth did appear a natural mage of pure heart,**_

 _ **Able to withstand Dover's dart.**_

 _ **Willing to sacrifice self for all,**_

 _ **Despite the impossibility of it at all.**_

 _ **The League of Seven the mage shall assemble,**_

 _ **Otherwise magic in the world will crumble.**_

 _ **Though the cost be vast,**_

 _ **The pain shall soon pass.**_

 _ **A loved one's demise may be inevitable,**_

 _ **But vengeance only leads to trouble.**_

 _ **Lives have been stolen, yes 'tis true,**_

 _ **And a master's fury derived from love should be rued.'**_

 **I am not a poet, so. Lousy rhyming. I did my best.:)  
**

 **Next chapter will be up next Sunday. This time I can promise, because it is finished.:)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who's followed/favorited and/or is reading but not reviewing.:)**

 **Olivia O'Neil~Thank you! I'm glad you liked it:)**

 **AvatarxFrozen~Aw, thanks! I'm glad you're looking forward to it:)**

 **ElsaTomago~Elsa will be okay. I just wanted it to be clear she's not 100% fine yet from that whole thing. But she has Anna, so she will be fine.:) More on the voice in this chapter! I'm trying to not reveal everything all at once.:P**

 **On to the story!**

Upstairs in her room, Elsa stared at the old scroll on her desk and then at the map she had pulled out with the Strait of Dover detailed on it. Although it hadn't been Anna's intention, Elsa was somehow quite sure what that voice had been now. She closed her eyes and concentrated hard, hoping her hunch would work. ' _I do not know who you are, but I believe I received a message from you',_ she threw out, trying to think of the white cliffs of Dover, hoping that would somehow help. Because Elsa honestly had no idea what she was doing and wasn't quite sure it would work, she yelped aloud when something immediately shot back:

' _You did? Yes, we need help!'_

Elsa didn't think that was the same voice she remembered from her 'dream' the night before, though it sounded nearly identical, and that scared her. She abruptly felt a wave of coolness from her own magic flow through her head, not unpleasantly, but it still startled her. That hadn't been a conscious move. What was her magic doing? _But my magic didn't just make a mess. I know it didn't. What just happened?_ The odd coolness faded, and then…

…she suddenly felt chilled all over, not from her magic, when she received a second message that said 'don't listen!' in a broken, frantic way. It was the same voice from the night before, and Elsa shivered. Someone was hurting and needed help, and someone else was trying to trick her. Not for the first time, she wished she wasn't part of that 'League of Seven' thing. Of course, technically she didn't _have_ to; nobody was forcing her to attempt to fulfill that legend; but Elsa would not sit around and do nothing while others were in trouble. _Should I try to send another message? I don't even know what I'm doing…_ Elsa was still staring at the map and the scroll, and she nearly jumped out of her chair when she heard…

 _'That's clear,_ ' a different voice said. Elsa put her hands over her ears as she felt a second wave of coolness from her own magic flow through her head. This time it settled and stayed put. "Quit that, it feels dizzy," she muttered to herself.

"Miss Elsa, what on earth are you doing?" Gerda asked, frowning at her from the doorway.

Elsa twisted around in her chair and sighed. "I don't know! Someone's in trouble and I don't know how to help. And my magic is making me feel a little dizzy." She put her hand to her head and frowned. _It's probably trying to protect me somehow, I bet…_

Gerda glanced at the map and the scroll on Elsa's desk and easily had a fairly good idea of what had happened. She may not have known much about magic, but she knew Elsa. "Are you trying to 'talk' to someone in Dover somehow?" Gerda gently pressed one hand to Elsa's forehead, but it was clear the girl wasn't sick and didn't have a fever. If anything she was cooler than usual.

"I'm not sick, Gerda. I think…I think my magic is trying to protect me somehow. I don't _know_ , but I think someone or something-maybe multiple somethings-has telepathic abilities." Elsa paused, remembered Anna's comment that even if there _was_ a telepathic mage, he or she wouldn't be able to read _her_ mind because her magic would kick it out automatically. "Well…I don't know if it's telepathic abilities, but it's some kind of magic that can send messages, like I can with Linnae."

Gerda frowned. "Miss Elsa, I know you just want to help people, but you need to be careful. None of us know enough about this sort of thing. It could be dangerous for you, not to mention others. 'Sort of thing' referring to the legend prophecy thing and the like, not your magic." Gerda made sure to clarify what she meant, knowing that Elsa could still be touchy about her own magic.

Elsa shook her head, trying to clear the dizziness. To her surprise, she actually felt normal again, but she was still worried. What exactly had happened? _What if that dizzy feeling going away just proves my hunch? And someone is hurt._ "I have to do something," she said softly. "Whoever's in trouble knows I received their message. They-and I-would feel horrible if I didn't try." Elsa made her signature snowflake in one hand and just stared at it. "I'd feel…abandoned if I had tried to get a message to someone, the someone received it, and then they did nothing. What if those white trolls really are hurting other natural mages?" _Other people like me,_ she couldn't help thinking. _Well, Emily and me. And Rapunzel, too._

Gerda shook her head. "If someone is in trouble, and I say _if_ , they must know a little bit about you to bother trying to get you a message in the first place. So I think whoever it is would know you are honestly trying to help him or her," she said firmly. "Miss Elsa, you cannot run off to Dover with no plan. You shouldn't even go right now, period. Those white trolls may capture you too for all we know. Then what would we all do? How would we get you back home safely?"

"You wouldn't." Elsa's voice was quiet as she went to look out her window. Her black and white cat, Kolfinnia, leapt up on the window seat next to her, and she gently pet the little cat on the head. " _If_ I attempt to go help, I will go alone with Linnae and leave Anna in charge. She can handle it. Arendelle will be safe without me. You don't need me. Outsiders sans magic cannot even get into Arendelle and Corona. No one will hurt you. And as much as I dislike those rock trolls, I do not think the white trolls will even try to come here because Grand Pabbie and the others are here. So, everyone will be safe."

"It doesn't have anything to do with the rest of us, Miss Elsa. It has to do with _you_." Gerda thought Elsa had evidently thought too much about this; while it was obvious she was scared to try to help-who wouldn't be, after all-she sounded sure of herself.

"No, it does not. My job is to protect my country, and if I make sure it's safe if I am gone, then my job is done. Gerda, I can't just sit by and do nothing while others are hurting. I _can't_." Elsa looked down, her hand flitting to the nearly invisible scar on her left wrist. _Anna and Gerda saved me…_ "What if y-you and Anna hadn't helped me?" Then, "I wish it would go away entirely," she blurted. "I hate it."

Gerda shook her head and took Elsa's hand. "Miss Elsa, just look. Really look. What do you see?"

"A permanent reminder of the stupid thing I did," Elsa said shortly, but she didn't jerk her hand away. _Why does that still bother me sometimes? It's been years…_

"All I see is a tiny battle scar. It's just part of 'just plain Elsa's' story. You should be proud you're still here and that you feel better now." Gerda finally just hugged her tightly. "And you should _never_ feel embarrassed for your feelings. Ever. I can't understand exactly what you went through, but I love you very much…just like you are." Gerda deeply wished she had been able to do more when Elsa had been a child. Maybe she wouldn't be so willing to go on a suicide mission with no thought for herself…or at least not much. "Back to the rescue mission, I do understand what you mean by us all being safe, but you should think about your own safety, too. I'm not saying it's ok to be selfish, but…"

Elsa smiled a tiny bit. "But you are saying I should be selfish all the same," she deadpanned. "Gerda, I have to at least try. I won't be any good to _anyone_ if the white trolls capture me anyway, so I am thinking I _will_ still attempt to help on my own, but if I feel like I'm getting in over my head, I'll get out of there as fast as I can." Elsa paused and looked Gerda right in the face. "I'm leaving this evening. Linnae and I will be less likely to be seen at night, and we have to cross the Atlantic. Dover should be, oh…six or seven hours ahead of us, I think, I can't remember. Do _not_ tell Anna until tomorrow morning. I should be back in the evening."

Gerda sighed. "If that is not an order, I can't promise that," she said after a moment, hoping Elsa would say that it wasn't, since she didn't like ordering Gerda around.

Elsa didn't reply immediately; she looked down at the floor and then back at Gerda. _I can't tell Gerda that's an order. She's just trying to help me, but…_ "With all due respect, this time it is," she said quietly.

"All right, Miss Elsa, but I still think this is a terrible idea…" Gerda gave Elsa a sad smile and shook her head again.

* * *

Gerda did not tell Anna, true to her word, but she did immediately search out Kai, and she told him what Elsa was planning. "Isn't there _anything_ we can do to stop her? She's going to end up in trouble, and nobody will be able to help her!"

Kai thought for a minute and then shrugged. "We could always give her a sleeping pill in some juice or milk or something, but let me try to talk to her first. I'll make it clear you did not break your promise not to say anything to Anna, too." He hesitated before adding, "I have a feeling even if we did convince Elsa not to go tonight, she would just try again tomorrow night or something. From what you just told me, she _did_ think it through carefully; it's not a whim. And she's stubborn. I don't think anyone is going to be able to change her mind, except maybe Anna, which is probably why she doesn't want Anna to know."

A few minutes later, Kai knocked on Elsa's door. Elsa didn't respond the first time, but then replied with a simple, "Come in." Kai decided to get right to the point. "Miss Elsa, Gerda has just told me about your rescue plan. And no, she did _not_ break her word. She did not tell Anna, only me. This is dangerous and a terrible plan, no matter how careful you try to be."

Elsa stiffened. _Gerda, why did you tell Kai? I wish I had just said 'don't tell anybody', not just 'don't tell Anna'…I should have known…_ "Kai, you are not going to change my mind. I'm going. There are people in danger and I am not going to stay here and do nothing," she said firmly.

"Then at least take someone with you," Kai said after a moment, unsurprised by Elsa's response. "You want to ride Linnae, correct? So therefore you can leave whoever you bring with you on Linnae while you try to rescue those other mages. Those white trolls won't be interested in a non-mage, so whoever you bring will be safe. Miss Elsa, I don't want you going out there alone, frankly. You have a large penchant to get into all kinds of trouble, or rather, the trouble follows you even though you're just trying to do something good."

Elsa stayed quiet, her expression thoughtful.

"And, if you _do_ get in there and end up hurt somehow, you'll need backup. It's just plain foolish to go on an errand like this with no help."

"I can defend myself," Elsa protested, but she didn't even sound like she believed herself. _I couldn't beat that mirror. And my leg is better-I can walk again-but I still have to wear that brace for it…_

Kai shook his head, looking Elsa right in the face. "Not well enough, you can't, Miss Elsa. None of us know exactly what kind of abilities the white trolls have, for one thing. Also, we do know that poem references 'Dover's dart', but we don't know what that is. The person or persons you're trying to rescue could be literally anywhere along those cliffs. I would assume inside them somehow, but I don't know. You don't know how to rock climb. I am not saying you physically can't; I'm saying you don't know how. Blasting the place with ice magic is a bad idea, so you're stuck with getting in the slow way. That gives those white trolls more time to capture you. Then what? How will you get out? This has been going on for centuries. I'm quite sure you wouldn't be the first mage to attempt to escape."

Elsa didn't deny any of this, but she met Kai's gaze straight on. "I will not risk someone else's safety to protect my own. I can do this. I _have_ to do this…" Elsa's voice trailed off, and she subconsciously wrapped her arms around her middle.

"Why do you feel you _have_ to do this _right now_?" Kai asked gently. He paused and gestured at Elsa's stance. "I've seen you hug yourself far too many times to not know something else is bothering you."

 _I don't want to…can't…talk about it. I wouldn't even know how to explain it._ "I just…I just want to help," she said finally.

"I know that already, but there's something else. Why exactly do you have to help, by doing this, _right now_ , when you know you're not ready?" Kai worded his question carefully, hoping Elsa would just give him a straight answer.

Elsa's shoulders tensed toward her ears. "I do not wish to discuss this," came the stiff reply. _Because I really do just want to help someone else that's hurting. Because maybe I can do something good that no one else can take my place for. Because selfishly 'just plain Elsa' wants to prove to herself she's not just damaged goods that people feel bad for._ "I really do just want to help, but I also just…want to prove myself?" It came out as a question even though that hadn't been her intention.

Kai scowled and asked if it was all right to hug her. Elsa nodded but didn't answer. "You do _not_ need to 'prove yourself', Miss Elsa. Don't you think you've done that quite enough?"

 _No. Elsa breaks down and cries under pressure. She panics and gets upset. I don't_ hate _her, but I don't particularly like her. And my magic…I couldn't beat that mirror. Maybe I can do something else good instead._

"Who are you trying to prove yourself to?" Kai asked.

"Me."

 _Well, at least it's just her she wants to prove herself to, not anyone else…_ "Miss Elsa, you will never be able to prove yourself to yourself. You're a perfectionist, and nobody is perfect."

"Don't I know it," Elsa deadpanned. She managed to give Kai a lopsided smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. _I don't even know what a perfect version of me would look like._

Kai ignored that comment. "Miss Elsa, your duties are here, nowhere else. I understand you want to help and that your intentions are good-even trying to 'prove yourself' isn't a bad thing, just unnecessary-but your responsibility is to Arendelle, not fulfilling that legend thing."

"Kai, you…you didn't hear that message like I did. Someone is scared and in pain and I'm here in my nice castle doing nothing to stop it. That's _wrong_." Elsa hesitated and looked away. "I know what that feels like." _It just makes you feel worthless and…Elsa, stop it. If you_ are _going to go through with this, you can't get emotional. Put it away, Elsa._ "At least if I tried and failed, they'd know someone cared and was trying to help."

Kai somewhat understood Elsa's reasoning, but he still didn't like it. "And what happens to you if you get trapped in the white trolls' lair, whatever it is?"

Now Elsa stood tall and met Kai's eyes straight on. "Then Anna is in charge, and you can all forget me. I will not have anyone risking their lives trying to come after me." Inside she felt shaky, and she knew a little of that probably registered on her face, but she tried her best to appear confident.

"If your sister was in charge, I can guarantee she would go after you," Kai pointed out. "Miss Elsa, you can't expect us to just let you go and forget you just like that. You have a lot of people here that love you very much."

"Anna can easily replace me. She may not _like_ doing paperwork and the like, but she's completely capable of it. And she's a hundred times better at giving speeches and other things like that than I am."

"No, she can't 'easily replace you', because she's NOT YOU. She can handle the duties of being queen, yes, but she can't 'easily replace' you. You have such a warped view of yourself; you think 'Queen Elsa' is the only aspect of you that has value and 'just plain Elsa' is worse than nothing. Therefore since 'the queen' _can_ be replaced, you think your sister can just replace you because 'just plain Elsa' is no good for anything except causing trouble, which is utter nonsense. I'm sorry to be so blunt, and I mean no disrespect, but it's true." Kai pointed at the few snowflakes floating around Elsa. "Your magic cannot be 'easily replaced'. 'Just plain Elsa' cannot be 'easily replaced'. You may not love yourself, but your sister does, and so do Gerda and I, and many others. How would you feel if you lost your little sister?"

Elsa's blue eyes filled with tears at that idea. _I think I'd die. Literally._ "Awful. I'd probably think it was m-my fault, even if it didn't have anything t-to do with me," she whispered.

"That is how she would feel. Do you want that?" Though Kai's voice was stern, he was gentle as he took her by the hands and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "Miss Elsa, I am telling you right now I will do everything in my power to prevent you from leaving. It's part of _my_ job to protect you at all costs, and that includes protecting you from yourself."

* * *

"Kai, what? What's going on?" Anna asked in confusion a little while later. "Is Elsa hurt somehow? Why is she crying like that?"

Kai shook his head and laid Elsa on Anna's bed. "I'll explain tomorrow morning, but I promise you she's not hurt," he said quietly. "Please…just stay with her. Whatever you do, do _not_ leave her alone. She should fall asleep soon."

Anna glanced at Elsa lying curled up on her bed sobbing as if her heart would break and then back at Kai, her blue-green eyes wide. "Why tomorrow? I…" _Wait a minute…fall asleep soon? Why would Elsa fall asleep soon?_ "Did you give her a sleeping pill?" The guilty expression on Kai's face told Anna all she needed to know. "You promised Elsa something that you wouldn't explain whatever's going on to me until tomorrow?" Anna guessed.

Kai nodded.

"Ok. Well, I'll make sure Elsa's all right. I promise." Anna wasn't worried by that; she trusted that Kai wouldn't have done something like that to Elsa without good reason. _I bet she was going to try to go somewhere dangerous by herself and Kai tried to talk to her but she wouldn't listen. And he's supposed to protect her-and me-even if it's from herself, so. Makes sense._ Anna pulled Elsa into her arms and just held her close. "I'm not sure what's going on exactly, so I'm just going to hug you 'til you feel better," she said softly. She could tell Elsa was sleepy; the older girl was almost completely limp in Anna's arms, but tears still streamed down Elsa's pale cheeks.

"…shouldn't…told anyone…at…all," Elsa mumbled. She wished she could force herself to stay awake; she wished she made more of a fuss at Kai. But she hadn't even known until it was too late and she'd drank the whole cup of milk. Good grief, he'd actually _warned_ her, saying he would do everything in his power to keep her from leaving and that he would also protect her from herself. She should have made him get out of her room right then and left for Dover before anything could be done. _And…and I think part of me genuinely doesn't want to go. That's selfish, Elsa. Now what do I do?_

Anna didn't ask for clear answers; she just hugged Elsa tighter. "Never mind that now. I'll help you figure out whatever the problem is tomorrow," she assured Elsa. "Though I think I have a good idea of what it is. If it's rescuing the owner of that voice, I've already thought of something. If you go, I go. I won't stop you, but I won't leave you alone." _Even if it's in the face of 'certain danger'. I can't stop Elsa from going somewhere dangerous but I can certainly make sure she has a companion._

"Arendelle…someone stay…for Arendelle…" Elsa's tears had slackened by now, though she looked up at Anna through eyes bright with tears. _Anna…wouldn't stop me? She'd come with me…?_

Anna heard Elsa's sleepily slurred words, but she saw something completely different in her sister's expression.

She _wanted_ Anna with her. She would probably never admit it if asked, but she wanted Anna to go with her.

 _And why not? She's probably scared to go alone but doesn't want to risk anyone else's safety, and also thinks she_ should _do it alone._ Anna gently brushed Elsa's remaining tears away and then settled herself against the headboard of the bed. Elsa just blinked at her, seemingly confused, but didn't protest when Anna laid her down and then tugged her close again. "I'm going to read a book, but I promise I won't leave. I won't leave you alone," Anna told her. _Now or ever,_ she finished mentally.

 _Thank you. Thank you for still loving…me._ "Anna," was all that came out for Elsa verbally, but she snuggled closer. Her blue eyes flickered shut. Anna would help her fix everything. She was still rather perturbed and hurt that Kai had given her that sleeping pill without telling her what it was until after the fact, but she knew he had been trying the only way he knew how to render her unable to leave without hurting her. _He must've been really concerned if he 'tricked me' like that…Gerda too…and Anna wasn't mad at him, either, so I shouldn't be. Well, maybe a little bit? It doesn't matter. What's done is done. I go tomorrow night instead of tonight, that's all._

 _Anna didn't fuss at me. And…and she won't leave me alone._

Anna was glad to see a bit of a smile on Elsa's sleeping face. That meant she either wasn't dreaming at all, or it was a good dream. In any event, she was happy again and hadn't fallen asleep crying. "You are such a stubborn ol' stinker, Elsa, but you wouldn't be you if you weren't," Anna informed her, though she knew Elsa wasn't listening. "I wish you would stop trying to do things like this all by yourself. It's _all right_ to need help, you know." _Elsa would just say, 'maybe, but it seems like I always need way too much help. I want to do things on my own' or something else like that. I know she would._ Anna sighed. She thought Elsa seemed to have only two modes: either she was all clingy and didn't want to be alone at all, or she would push everyone away because she thought she had to do things on her own and isolate herself, even if it was just verbally now instead of literally.

Anna decided she would do some planning herself. Elsa would not go back to the Valley of the Living Rock herself, but she hadn't forbidden Anna or Kristoff from going; in fact, Anna knew Elsa actually expected Kristoff to spend time there. Maybe Grand Pabbie could give her some more information about those white trolls. A weakness, maybe. Or better yet, maybe Kristoff knew something. Elsa would be much more likely to listen to him than the old rock troll. Elsa was not an ice master and wasn't supposed to be going to Dover yet. She _would_ lose against them, but as long as Anna could get her out of there and back to Arendelle safely, perhaps a failure would show Elsa she needed to wait and try again later when she had mastered her magic.

 **A/N: I kept my updating schedule! I am pleased.:P**

 **Next chapter will be up next Sunday:)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who's followed/favorited and/or is reading but not reviewing!**

 **raven678-Yay I'm glad you liked it! Elsa won't go...right now. Yet. As will be clear by the end of this chapter:)**

 **IndyGirl89-I PMed you, so I won't make you reread the same thing here:)**

 **Olivia O'Neil-Awesome, thanks! That is actually super helpful! *plans how to incorporate real-life info into her storyverse* ^_^**

 **Elsa Tomago-Yep, she can...she's just not very good at it. Yet! She needs to practice.:) I figure that Kai is operating under "protect even from herself" train of thought. Both Anna and Elsa know that, so they are not angry with him. Well, Elsa wasn't happy about it, but she's not going to get him into trouble.**

 **On to the story!:)**

"She's nuts," was Kristoff's response when he came to see Anna awhile later and she had explained the problem. "Anna, I don't think either you or her understand. I've asked Grand Pabbie for more information about the white trolls. They are far worse than whatever you and Elsa think they are. And by the way, it's raining cats and dogs out there. It's _pouring._ "

"I can hear that. And Kristoff, you know Elsa. She _will_ go whether anyone supports her or not. So at least I can make sure she has help. I was hoping maybe you'd know some way to beat them. A weakness or something," Anna said hopefully.

Kristoff stared at her. "If it was that easy, don't you think Grand Pabbie or another mage would have fixed everything by now? Quite frankly Elsa stinks in fighting situations. She _can_ hold herself together and she _can_ fight, but she's not very good at fighting. This isn't like her fighting someone with a gun or something. It's multiple creatures we know little about that steal magic and inherently have more power than she does, at least all put together. What if they steal _her_ magic? Then what will you and her do to get out of there?"

"Elsa's magic can't be stolen from her!"

"Not completely, no, but remember what happened when she couldn't beat the mirror test? She couldn't even fight back against ordinary people going after her. She's not an ice master, and she's helpless with her magic depleted, just like any other natural mage would be. We all figured out that that's probably how any mage the white trolls might have are being held." Kristoff sighed and shook his head. "Not to mention, she doesn't know how to fight at all with _out_ using her powers."

Anna gave Elsa's hand a squeeze, even though she knew Elsa was still asleep and wouldn't wake up. "Why would she need to learn that when she has her magic?"

"For one thing, no one in that area has seen her. She might be able to blend in there for awhile if need be as long as she doesn't use her magic. Also, using magic in the white trolls' domain can strengthen them, depending on the troll. If she can defend herself without using her magic, that's a big advantage. Of course she'll need it at some point, but…"

"Elsa isn't going to listen, Kristoff. She's stubborn and has got it into her head she's going to do something; she's not going to change her mind," Anna said quietly. "What's something I can do to keep her safe at Dover?"

"Give her another sleeping pill."

Anna was highly perturbed at that. "That's not funny! I'm not mad at Kai for doing that, but I'm not doing that to her again. I won't. Besides, we can't do that forever! And, I don't think she would ever trust ANYBODY to bring her anything to drink if that happened a second time."

"Ok, ok, just kidding. The only thing I know to say is make sure you guys look as innocent and naïve as possible. They'll know Elsa has magic; you can't hide that, but they don't need to know how strong it is. If they think her magic is weak, they won't be as interested in her. And praise them. If you do get into trouble, offer a trade. They love making deals. Ditch Linnae before you reach the cliffs. You'll have to get in by boat or on foot." Kristoff thought for a moment, trying to think of anything else he could tell Anna that might help. "Take a bit of Elsa's magic water with you in bottles, and get Elsa to give you some to drink. Then if they want to steal magic, you can offer 'yours'. You'll lose your temporary water powers, but it wouldn't drain you nearly as bad as depleting Elsa's magic would for her."

"Would Elsa drinking her own magic water help?" Anna asked hopefully.

"No, it would keep her hydrated, sure, but it won't give her 'extra' magic."

"One more thing…can you teach us how to rock climb?"

* * *

Elsa slept peacefully the whole afternoon (all through the thunderstorm) and all night, but she was confused at first when she woke up in the morning in Anna's room. _How did I get in here…oh, never mind. I remember._ Then she was briefly frightened when she couldn't move before she realized she had just somehow gotten the cape on her ice-dress all twisted up around her. Elsa yelped when Anna practically tackled her. "Anna, what was that for?!"

"'Cause I love you and you're a great big stinker!" Anna paused and sat back on her heels. "Seriously, Elsa, I'm just glad you finally woke up. I was starting to get worried."

"Thank you for staying with me, and for…what you said right before I fell asleep. For saying you wouldn't leave me alone," Elsa said quietly. _If Anna hadn't said that, I probably would have been stuck in a bad dream the whole time. I just know it._

Anna frowned. "Of course I stayed with you. I mean, I got up to grab another book and stuff, and I went and got a blanket out of my closet to put on you even though I know you don't get cold but you like something over you when you're sleeping, and I had to get up to go to the bathroom, but I stayed the whole time otherwise. I said I would, and I meant it." She waited until Elsa had actually gotten up before adding, "We need to talk. Why didn't you just tell me what you were planning?"

Elsa sighed. "I didn't want you to come with me. I don't want to risk your safety. And, selfishly? I just…I still feel like…I need to prove myself somehow," she admitted. Anna would not hate her for saying that; she was sure of it.

"What for?" Anna made sure to keep her voice neutral, even though she was frustrated. _Really, Elsa? Why do you feel you need to 'prove yourself'?! That's ridiculous…_

"Because I couldn't rescue us from Jade. Because I couldn't beat that mirror. Because I couldn't defend myself when those men…assaulted me. Because I _always_ need help. Because little frightened, depressed Elsa is still inside me somehow." Elsa's countenance crumpled, and she didn't protest when Anna wrapped her arms around her and hugged her close. She did not cry. "I wish I could silence her forever." _That doesn't even make any sense, Elsa._

"Elsa, you've got to tell someone if you're feeling like that again. It's all right. You don't need to be embarrassed and try to deal with it on your own." Anna hesitated. " _Are_ you depressed?"

Elsa shook her head. "No, I just…remember things and then all of a sudden I feel like that lost little girl again. Even when I'm really, genuinely happy, there are those memories hiding just underneath waiting to pop out and bother me some more. Anna, I'm twenty-two years old now. I'm not a little kid. And sometimes I just feel like I can't do anything on my own. Like I'm a…nothing. Not all the time, not even most of the time, but… Does…that make sense?" Though Elsa's voice was carefully controlled in an attempt to remain unemotional, this did not fool Anna for a second, and Elsa was certain Anna knew that. "But I do trust you. I know you would never hurt me or want to get rid of me, no matter what was wrong with me."

Anna was quiet for a minute, unsure what to say to that. _That sort of makes sense, and I'm glad Elsa was willing to say so, even if she won't admit things without someone bugging her to, but…_ Rather than offer comforting words as she usually tried to do, Anna just asked, "Why do you hate that little-girl part of you?"

"What?"

"I said, why do you hate that little-girl part of you, Elsa?" Anna repeated.

"I don't _hate_ it…"

"Yes, you do. You said 'I wish I could silence her forever'. That says you hate it. Why? She's not dangerous. She's not in control of you anymore, either. So why do you hate her?" Anna asked again.

"That girl can't be a big sister. She can't do _anything_ on her own." Elsa didn't know how to explain herself, and she was worried about where Anna was going with this discussion. _I should have just kept my mouth shut._

"Seems to me 'that girl' took care of Arendelle all by herself for three years before your coronation even though you felt horrible the whole time. We've gone through this a million times before: you do _not_ have to handle things on your own, and you shouldn't. You did that for long enough already. And as for those other incidents you mentioned…Elsa, you might have crazy strong magic, but you're just a normal human girl, and as such, you can be hurt. It doesn't make you incompetent or weak. It just doesn't," Anna said firmly.

"I do have a weak leg," Elsa deadpanned, giving Anna a lopsided smile.

Anna felt bad for doing it, but she laughed as Elsa feigned slipping and falling on the bed. "Stinker! All right, fine, that's true, but you know what I meant. I meant inside where it matters." _Except…Elsa's leg_ will _matter if she has to climb around anywhere. Ok, I'm not going to worry about that yet. Maybe Kristoff has an idea that would help._

Elsa hugged Anna tightly herself. "I still have to go help, but thank you, Anna. Thank you for making me laugh."

"Anna, I'm not sure about this. Where are we going exactly? I am _not_ going to that troll valley again," Elsa said. She was sitting in the back of Kristoff's sled-wagon with Anna.

"Don't worry, we're almost there, and it's not the troll valley. There's a good spot for learning how to rock climb I know about," Kristoff called back, overhearing Elsa's comments.

Elsa opened her mouth to reply, glanced at her leg, and then just clamped it shut again. _Terrific. Just terrific. Anna, was this your idea?_ No wonder Anna had been so excited and bouncy just before they'd left. Why had she agreed to come? Of course it was some outdoor thing she would probably be terrible at. What else would it be, considering Anna had gotten her to promise 'no magic' until they got home? Elsa honestly didn't mind being outdoors-she actually _liked_ going swimming and being outside, and she didn't mind getting dirty as long as she could take a nice long bath afterwards-but she did not have the least bit of interest in going rock climbing. But she'd promised to try whatever activity Kristoff and Anna had planned, so she decided not to complain. Maybe it wouldn't be as terrible as she thought.

"It'll be fun, Elsa," Anna said, adding in her mind, _I hope._ Elsa didn't seem to have put it together that this activity had to do with getting ready for that Dover mission, and Anna wanted to keep it that way as long as possible. "Oh, look, we're here!" Anna exclaimed, hopping to her feet. "Come on, Elsa!"

"We just have to hike a little ways over now. Sven will stay here and watch the wagon," Kristoff said, giving the reindeer a carrot. He glanced at Elsa, who quite honestly looked uncomfortable and a little out of place in her ice-dress. "That getup is going to get in the way, most likely…"

Elsa's cheeks turned pink. " _Someone_ didn't tell me we were going rock climbing," she said pointedly, glaring at Anna. She dearly wanted to throw a snowball at her little sister, but she'd promised 'no magic' until they had gotten back home.

Elsa decided she would douse Anna in snow the second they arrived back at the castle.

"It was supposed to be a surprise," Anna said defensively, but she yanked a set of more practical outdoorsy clothes from her knapsack. "Here, Elsa. You can wear these."

"I'm not getting dressed here for you two to see!" Elsa responded indignantly. "And these are boy clothes. They're pants."

"You can make an opaque ice wall and change behind it. But _just_ for this! Afterwards, no more magic!" Anna informed her. "And I'm wearing pants. You didn't complain about that."

"That's different. They weren't on _me_!" Elsa protested. "Just because I don't see anything wrong with it on you or another girl doesn't mean I'm comfortable with it on me."

Kristoff rolled his eyes. "You are goofy, Elsa. That dress you're wearing right this second shows more than the pants will. At least pin up that cape so you're not tripping over it. This is a waste of time. Come on, you guys." Kristoff had absolutely no patience for what he considered girly nonsense. He didn't mind trying to help either of the girls if they were upset, but he quite honestly thought Elsa was being kind of dumb at the moment. "They aren't 'boy clothes', Elsa. They're sturdy pants. Practical for rock climbing so your skirts aren't getting in the way."

Elsa finally conceded, but she made a dark green knee-length skirt with her magic and put it on over the pants outfit, which looked silly, but she didn't care. This way Anna and Kristoff would be happy with her, and she didn't feel all self-conscious, either.

Anna and Kristoff ignored this, and the three of them started for the cliff.

* * *

"Are you all right?" Anna asked the second they arrived at the base of the cliff. Elsa had plopped herself down right where she was, rubbing her bad leg.

"I'm fine. Just…too much walking, I suppose," Elsa admitted, giving Anna a rueful smile. "You two go ahead. I just need to rest a minute." _You need to rest a lot of minutes, Elsa. Who are you kidding? You can't do this…_

"Let's just eat our sandwiches," Anna suggested, giving Elsa's hand a squeeze as she plopped down to sit beside Elsa. "I'm hungry anyways, and maybe your leg will feel better by the time we're done, Elsa."

The impromptu picnic was quiet, but not uncomfortably so. Elsa wasn't particularly hungry, so she just nibbled at her sandwich a bit and then wrapped it up again. Then she just leaned against Anna and waited for her and Kristoff to finish eating. _This is actually…fun. It's not even horrendously hot out here since it's cloudy and there's a breeze._ She still wasn't any too excited about trying to rock climb, but being outside away from everything was nice. What Elsa _really_ wanted to do was go up to the ice palace again, but since that wasn't on the agenda for the day, she decided not to mention it.

Soon the others were done eating, and Kristoff showed the girls how to find sturdy handholds and footholds on the rock face. Then they warmed up a bit. "This place is great for climbing because there are lots of natural handholds and footholds, see? Usually it's way harder than this, but this is a great place for beginners to learn. I can spot whoever wants to try first."

Elsa nudged Anna forward and hung back. "You go first," she whispered. Elsa felt like her stomach was upset, and she was suddenly very glad she hadn't eaten all of her sandwich. She wasn't scared of heights, but somehow trying to climb a rock wall was very different to her than being at the top of the North Mountain or on top of that roller coaster she had made with her ice. For one thing, even if her leg was okay, she was somehow quite sure she wasn't strong enough to pull herself up. _Why am I even here? I'm just going to fall and look a mess._

 _Well, Elsa, it might help if you had to climb anywhere when you go to Dover. Get it together._

Elsa grinned as she watched Anna climbing. _Anna_ wasn't good at climbing either; she tried to go too fast and was clumsy, but Kristoff was a patient, if teasing, teacher. Anna made it about halfway up the wall before slipping. Kristoff easily caught her and set her on her feet. "That was awesome! Can I go again?" was Anna's immediate reaction. "Elsa, it's loads of fun. Don't be scared," she whispered in her sister's ear. "I don't even really like heights and it was still fun." Anna didn't mention that she'd scraped her hand and banged her knees about five times. _Come on, Elsa, you can do it. Right?_

"It's not the height I'm scared of," Elsa whispered back. She wilted a bit as she and Anna watched Kristoff clamber up the rock like a monkey and then climb down a little slower, jumping the last few feet to the ground. _I can't do this. I know I can't._ She knew Kristoff hadn't been trying to show off; he'd just wanted to climb a bit himself, but watching someone who was actually skilled at it just made her feel worse.

Maybe she _should_ have gone first if she was going to try at all.

"Falling? Kristoff will catch you if that happens," Anna assured her, but she was pretty sure that wasn't what Elsa was scared of, either. Elsa kept clenching her fists and hesitantly shifting her weight onto her bad leg.

 _I want to go home._ Elsa sighed, but she just nodded.

* * *

"Don't be all tense holding on like that. It's easier on your arms if they're straight and not clenched like that. You mostly use your legs to push yourself up, not your arms," Kristoff told Elsa when she voiced her worry that she wasn't strong enough. "You can do it. Just go _slow_ " (he sent a pointed look at Anna, who huffed indignantly), "and you'll be fine. If you _do_ feel yourself falling, don't try to catch yourself. That's how people end up landing awkwardly and breaking things."

"That's ever so reassuring," Elsa deadpanned, shaking her head. She tried her best to relax, but she was quite sure she was probably still 'too tense'. To her surprise, Elsa found herself slowly but surely making her way up the wall. _My arms are already tired, but I'm…not falling. I think I actually might be able to get up to the top. Maybe._ She had trouble finding footholds for her bad leg, but simple 'a bit left, a bit right' instructions from Anna and Kristoff down below her fixed that problem. Elsa was almost to the top when her handhold just came off in her hand. Almost instantly her feet slipped, and she scrabbled at the rock and ended up holding on with one hand, her eyes scrunched shut as she pressed her face against the rock. _Calm down, Elsa. Panicking won't do any good._

Anna's eyes grew big. "Kristoff, get Elsa down! Get her down _now!_ " she shouted. "She's gonna fall! Elsa, there's a foothold a smidge to your right, and-"

Because the rock wasn't completely vertical, and Elsa was so close to the top, if she simply let go and trusted Kristoff to catch her, she would end up hitting part of the rock on the way down. Elsa tried to find the foothold Anna was talking about, but she couldn't, and her fingers finally slipped off entirely and she began to fall. She yelped and finally just covered the whole area with snow without really thinking in an effort to cushion the landing. _I wasn't supposed to use my magic until we got home,_ Elsa thought absently, but right then she didn't particularly care. _Don't try to catch yourself, Elsa, don't, don't, don't…_ She felt herself hit the snow once, twice, hard enough that it took her breath away, and then roll to a stop, and she briefly wondered why nobody had caught her, but then just curled up and buried her face in her hands, trying to stop shaking. _Quit it, Elsa. Calm down. You're fine. Maybe achy, but fine. You should have made softer snow! And…you could have used your air currents to catch yourself. That should have been an instinctive reaction…_

"Well, that's one way to get down," Kristoff said once he had dug himself free from the snow. He started to help Anna out of the snow, but she pushed him away, saying to make sure Elsa was all right first.

Elsa had pulled her hands away from her face, but she just lay still where she'd landed. _I'm fine. It could have been worse. I_ almost _made it to the top. I would have if that handhold hadn't broken off. I'm okay._ "I will be," she said when Kristoff asked her if she was okay. "I didn't hit my head, if that's what you mean. Just…leave me be for a minute. Please."

Kristoff nodded and tugged Anna the rest of the way free from the snow; then sat down a few feet from Elsa, close enough to watch her to make sure she really was fine but far enough away to give her some space. Anna plopped down on Kristoff's lap without warning. "Next time warn me first," Kristoff protested, but he put his arm around her anyway and kissed her cheek.

Anna hopped up and ran to Elsa when the older girl finally sat up. "Elsa, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have expected…I mean-"

"I would have made it to the top if that handhold hadn't broken off," Elsa interrupted, her big blue eyes shining with pride. She was pretty sure she had scraped her cheek badly-now that the shock of the whole thing had worn off, it _hurt_ -but right then she didn't care. _I didn't think I could do it at all, and I even got further than Anna did. I know that's petty, but…_

Anna was very surprised by that response, and she felt bad when she saw Elsa's face, but mostly she was just delighted that Elsa wasn't frightened or crying. _She's not even just all right…she's_ proud _of herself! That's great! Elsa's never proud of herself, or at least hardly ever._ "Yeah, you would have. That's great, Elsa!" Anna hugged her big sister close, and she felt Elsa's cool arms hugging her back. Elsa was still Elsa, hiding her face in Anna's shoulder, but Anna didn't sense a bit of hesitance in Elsa's hug. She was happy with herself, and rather than accepting a comforting embrace, it felt like Elsa was just contentedly accepting a 'congrats!' hug. _Maybe it's a good thing we came out here. Forget that stupid Dover thing, Elsa actually seems happy with herself for once._

"Don't want to break up the hug-fest, but we ought to make sure you're really all right, Elsa," Kristoff said hesitantly. "That was a pretty bad fall. I'm sorry I couldn't catch you."

"It's not your fault I buried everything in the vicinity, including you and Anna, in snow," Elsa deadpanned. She could see the snow drifts ended just a few yards away, and she was honestly surprised she hadn't made more of a mess. "I should have just used my air currents to catch myself. And Anna, quit poking at it. It's just a scrape," she protested, wincing when Anna tried to touch her cheek.

"A really bad one!" Anna pointed out. "I think it's ok. Well, as ok as it can be," she amended, frowning. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

Elsa shook her head. "Just sore. Anna, please don't fuss. I'm okay, really. I am not pretending to be fine, not this time." She glanced up at the rock wall, dispelled all the snow, and then bit her lip. "I think…I think I would like to try again, actually." _Elsa, did you really just say that and actually mean it? You're not scared of taking another tumble?_

 _Well…sure, but…isn't that normal? I mean, it was hard, but it was actually quite fun until I fell._

Anna kind of wanted to take Elsa home and make her rest the rest of the day, but she just helped the older girl to her feet and gave her an encouraging smile. _I can't tell her that's not a good idea. Not when she's genuinely happy with herself for doing something new that's hard for her._

"You do?" Kristoff asked, clearly surprised.

Elsa nodded. "But maybe let Anna have a turn again first," she suggested. "I'm tired."

* * *

THAT EVENING…

"I never did make it all the way to the top, but I was really close," Elsa told Gerda proudly when Gerda asked her how the afternoon went. The first thing she'd done when they'd arrived home was take a bath. Now she nibbled at the dinner Gerda had brought up to her, happy to be home and dressed in her normal clothes again even though she was glad she'd gone on the mini trip. She had some documents spread out neatly on her desk to work on until she went to bed.

"That's…nice, Miss Elsa," Gerda said awkwardly. She had already noticed that Elsa was limping more than usual, probably because she was tired, but she decided not to say anything about that or the scrapes on her cheek and elbows. Elsa looked like she was practically glowing. Gerda hadn't seen her so happy about some outdoor physical activity since she was a little girl. She looked like Anna did when _she_ was excited, sans the bouncing around the room.

"Anna didn't make it either, but that was because she was being sloppy. She didn't get all tired out like I did. After I fell that first time, I did try again, but I didn't get as far as I did the first time because I was tired," Elsa explained. She nodded when Gerda offered to brush her hair. "Thank you."

Gerda just gave Elsa's shoulder a gentle squeeze in reply. "Did you get all the adventure-wanting out of you?" she asked, not joking. _Please say yes, Elsa. Please._

Elsa didn't answer right away, and when she did, her question wasn't relevant. "May I please have a fishtail braid?" _Now why am I asking Gerda to do that? I can do that myself. Gerda just offered to brush my hair, not braid it too._

"Certainly. Miss Elsa, I know it's not my place to tell you what to do and ask you such questions, but you _are_ staying home, right?" Gerda's voice was hopeful and more than a little worried.

"Anna and I talked about it on the way home. She convinced me I shouldn't go tonight since we're both tired, and she's going to help me try to get more solid information before we go on a wild goose chase. For example, by trying to get a message to whoever is in trouble and see if we can get them to reply with a precise location, things like that." Elsa hesitated and looked down at her clasped hands. _Should I tell Gerda what I was thinking? It sounds so selfish to me…_ "I…I really don't want to go. I think that was always true, but I didn't want to admit it," she said softly. "Is that…selfish?"

"No, it's smart. I think that's your gut instincts saying it's a terrible idea, which is very true. What made you change your mind, Miss Elsa?" Gerda asked, still braiding Elsa's long hair.

Elsa sighed deeply and closed her eyes for a moment. "Realizing that it was okay I could not make it to the top after I fell the first time because I was tired, and that the afternoon wasn't ruined because of it. I know it sounds completely ridiculous, especially since I really did enjoy myself this afternoon, which I was definitely not expecting, but I see now that I am nowhere _near_ strong enough to get in and out of Dover successfully, even excusing the idea that the mission itself would fail. I couldn't get to the top of that rock face today, and I was not under any pressure except my own mind wanting to make it. And I know it couldn't have been more than thirty feet or so. That's nothing compared to-"

"But you tried, and you also feel more confident right now, even though you say you 'failed'," Gerda said firmly. She finished Elsa's braid and just took her by the hands. "Please don't ever forget how you felt this afternoon. That it was all right to not be able to do something."

Elsa gave Gerda a lopsided smile. "Well, I _wasn't_ okay with it at first. I had to stop trying because my leg started hurting again," she explained. "But then I remembered I'd honestly thought I wouldn't be able to do it at all, and I watched Anna and Kristoff climbing for awhile. Then Kristoff showed us how to tie a few different knots. That was quite enjoyable. And right before we left, Anna talked us into playing a short hide'n'seek game."

Gerda frowned. "Does it still hurt now? Miss Elsa, caused by magic or not, I don't want you overdoing things. Put it up on a pillow for a while tonight, all right? And put some ice on it. Maybe it'll help a bit, even if you're immune to cold." She did not want to fuss at Elsa too much, knowing how much the girl hated that, but she also didn't want Elsa to risk hurting her weak leg further.

"No, it just feels achy-tired, like the rest of me. But in a good way," Elsa added hurriedly, noticing Gerda's worried expression. "It doesn't hurt." She was happy to see Gerda's worried look disappear, and she perked up even more when Anna came in. _Oh, I hope Anna asks to stay. I'm not upset or anything, but I really, really would like her to stay. And I don't want to ask or she'll assume something_ is _wrong…_

But Elsa needn't have worried. "Elsa, can I stay in here with you?" Anna asked eagerly. "Please? I know you're all right, I just want to stay just to. Not 'cause you're not ok by yourself," she made sure to say, not wanting sensitive Elsa to jump to the conclusion that her little sister wanted to babysit her to make sure she was all right.

Elsa's happy smile grew bigger. "I would love that."

 **A/N: So. Some fluff and Elsa is a lot happier right now. I'm sorry for updating a day late-I was writing an assignment for school.:P And I HAD to finish it yesterday.**

 **I am going to start sharing two or three random songs I like at the end of my chapters, just because. Why not?:) They're not meant to be related to the storyline in any way or anything. Just random ones that I like. So, this time...**

 **Monster (From the Frozen Broadway musical)**

 **Mirror Mirror ~Blind Guardian**

 **Endless Forms Most Beautiful ~Nightwish**

 **Next chapter coming soon (ie., next week:))**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who's followed/favorited and/or is reading but not reviewing.:)**

 **WHAT IS THIS?! A NEW CHAPTER?! Why yes, yes it is. I am so sorry for the long wait. Just...assume updates will be horribly sporadic until the end of this semester. I'm sorry.:P**

 **Olivia O'Neil- When I do get to parts where I will need that info, I will be sure to credit you.:) Thank you!**

 **Elsa Tomago- I make no promises, but I will say that no, Elsa will not go alone.:) She needs to get better at using her "mind-messaging"-she is quite frankly terrible at it at the moment, lol. ;)**

 **IndyGirl89- I am taking your advice:) I appreciate the concrit very much:)**

 **AvatarxFrozen- I'm glad you enjoyed it! I had fun writing the last chapter.:)**

 **warorpeace- Glad you liked it! I enjoyed writing happy-Elsa. Plus cute family fluff.:)**

 **On to the story!**

"I'm so glad you had fun today," Anna told Elsa a little while later. The two of them were sprawled on Elsa's bed with a checkers game set up between them. Anna had convinced Elsa to leave the paperwork until morning since it did not _have_ to be done that night. "I got a bit worried you'd hate it or, well, not be able to do much…" Anna's voice trailed off when she noticed Elsa's happy contented expression had faded somewhat. "I'm sorry, I just meant-"

Elsa gave her a lopsided smile and glanced at her left leg propped up on a pillow. "It's okay, don't apologize. You meant exactly what you said. _I_ thought that too, after all. Gerda is right. I really was okay with not being able to do everything you could this afternoon, and I shouldn't forget that. So don't apologize for pointing it out." She paused before adding, "But I don't particularly want it pointed out over and over, either." _That's reasonable, isn't it? I think?_

Anna nodded. "Makes perfectly good sense."

"Besides, _you_ didn't make it to the top either, and you're physically stronger than I am and there's nothing wrong with _your_ leg," Elsa went on, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "What's your excuse?" She was expecting a pillow in the face, and sure enough, Anna smacked her with a pillow, and she dropped an ice cube down Anna's back.

"Oh, you-!" Anna hopped up, toppling the checkers game as she tried to get rid of the ice cube. "Elsa, that's no fair! It's cold! And what d'you mean, what's my excuse?!"

"Just what I said!" Elsa tried her best to stop giggling, but Anna looked so funny jumping around that she couldn't. "Anna, you look like a monkey jumping around like that!"

Anna hammed up the monkey imitation for a few seconds, and then just tried to tug Elsa to her feet. "Let's play charades since I kind of wrecked the checkers game!"

"Is that suggestion because you were losing?"

If it had been anyone else but Elsa saying that comment with that deadpan expression, Anna probably would have snapped at them and been offended, but somehow hearing _Elsa_ of all people talking like that actually made Anna happy. Elsa was happy; Elsa didn't sound hurt or sad; Elsa's teasing meant she was genuinely all right. Anna pulled Elsa close and just hugged her tightly, then jerked away abruptly. "So who d'you want t-"

Elsa yelped and would have fallen if Anna hadn't caught her.

"Sorry, Elsa, I forgot you didn't have your brace on," Anna apologized. "I just…I don't know. I'm sorry." She searched Elsa's face for any sign that she might be scared, but Elsa's lopsided smile was back.

"I'm fine. You just startled me. I can stand up by myself, see? I just have to actually really think about it. And not have someone randomly pulling me around." Elsa hesitated and bit her lip before asking, "Could…could you maybe help me try walking by myself again? I know it's not nearly as much fun as charades, but…please?"

 _And there's the 'I know I'm not worth the trouble, but…will you_ please _help me?' Elsa I know,_ Anna thought, frowning. _I should have known Elsa's new 'tude wouldn't last. Hmph._

Elsa misunderstood Anna's frown and silence to mean that she didn't want to help, and Elsa's shoulders slumped a bit. "Never mind, it's okay. Let's play ch-"

"Oh, no, that's not-oh, no, that's not why I didn't say anything immediately," Anna said hurriedly. "You just…you sounded like you didn't think you were worth helping. Again. Like you _wanted_ help, but you thought you should apologize for asking for it." _And I don't like hearing that from you, Elsa. I want you to be happy and ask for help freely without thinking you don't deserve it. It makes me sad to know you still think like that._

Elsa felt exceedingly awkward and didn't quite know what to say. She plopped down on the end of the bed, trying to figure out how to explain herself. "Anna, please don't be upset. I am okay. I don't know how to explain it, but even if I react the way I just did, misunderstanding things and assuming the worst, I do know now you're not going to abandon me or leave me all alone. Or laugh at me, or pick on me for being…damaged." Elsa looked down at the floor, her cheeks pink in embarrassment. "I'm _incredibly_ sorry for just, well, being present-day me, I suppose. It hurts that I still can't be the big sister you remember from when we were little. I guess I just want to say that somewhere deep inside Elsa knows she's reacting illogically and is trying to be better, but she can't help it sometimes." _Does that even make any sense? I don't know. What would I think if someone said that to me? Would I get it? I'm…not sure…I think I would. "_ But I feel much better. Your ridiculous outing earlier rather made me feel better, actually. More confident, too."

Anna reached for Elsa's hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze. It was slightly cold, but Anna didn't pull away. "Elsa, I'm glad you feel better. And you don't have to apologize for hurting. You don't have to apologize for being yourself. You don't have to be embarrassed to admit old fears that don't bother you anymore. It's _ok_. I can't understand _exactly_ how you're feeling right now, but that doesn't make your feelings any less valid. Do you understand that?"

Elsa started to nod, but then shook her head ever so slightly. _No more hiding, Elsa. No more. It's okay to admit you don't quite get it._ "I'm supposed to take care of you. I'm the queen and your big sister," she whispered. "I heard what Anikka told you. She's _six_ , and she thinks I can't take care of others." _Is it that obvious?_

"That's not what Anikka said. She meant you don't take care of yourself and keep getting hurt, and if that doesn't change then you'd have trouble taking care of us. She's a little kid, Elsa-she was right, but she didn't explain herself well, that's all. And why are you saying present-day Elsa can't take care of things? I think she's sweet and caring and can do just fine," Anna said, putting her arm around Elsa's shoulders. "You said you felt better."

"I do. I just still think that girl always ends up needing to be taken care of!" Elsa protested. " _I'm_ supposed to be taking care of _you_!"

"But, Elsa, you do take care of me, and I think you know it! And really, you've said it yourself: you can function on your own. You're all right. Maybe not great, but all right. You don't 'need to be taken care of'. You need love and reassurance, just like anyone else would. Maybe if you're sad or panicked, it's easier to feel better if someone takes care of you, like the other night with that awful nightmare. You can't tell me you don't think that's normal. A girl who wasn't previously hurt somehow would still be all weirded out if she got assaulted like that and then had to execute said people. It's, you know, cliché 'tough stuff' all over." Anna was glad when Elsa relaxed and let her head lean against Anna's shoulder.

"That…actually makes sense," Elsa said quietly.

Anna smiled a tiny bit and went on, "And honestly, you know what else? Even when you were s-suicidal before, you were _still_ taking care of me in a weird roundabout way. You didn't make another attempt because of me. I _know_ that's why. You loved me. And even your stupid attempt then and running away last year were misguided tries to somehow protect everyone, as awful as they were. I'm not saying attempting suicide was ok, because it most definitely was _not_ , but I think your motives were more than 'I can't deal with all this hurt anymore' somehow. Not that that isn't understandable by itself in the first place." She took Elsa's hand and touched the scar on her wrist as she continued, "You tried to get rid of yourself because you thought you were too much trouble and a burden to me and everyone else. I didn't understand that then and was really mad at you for trying to take you away from me, but I get it now, even if I still think it's dumb." Anna's voice caught, and she finally just wrapped both arms around Elsa and held her close. "I understand, Elsa. And I won't…tell you it's okay, 'cause it's… _not_ , but I understand."

Elsa did not cry, but she hid her face in Anna's shoulder. Anna _understood_. She had honestly still felt horribly guilty for that whole thing, and then all the more so for having those thoughts yet again awhile before, even if she hadn't actually made another attempt. Anna telling her she understood _and_ that it wasn't okay made her feel vindicated somehow, that she had made a terrible decision but that she had had very real reasons for doing so. Elsa felt as if some heavy weight had stopped binding her heart inside. Her little sister understood her, and she was _holding_ her, and not running off because she was disturbed that her older sibling had something badly wrong with her. She was oblivious to the tiny snowflakes floating around her.

Though Anna was alarmed at first, the second she realized Elsa was just relieved somehow, she simply continued holding Elsa and didn't say a word. Snowflakes were harmless; she would just be a bit cold until Elsa felt better. Besides, these were just a few tiny ones. They also did not look like Elsa's 'sad' snowflakes. _Is she…relieved? That doesn't make sense…And Elsa's magic behaves much better for her when she's emotional now. Good job, Elsa,_ Anna thought, but she just kissed the top of Elsa's head and didn't say anything about it.

Elsa instantly went stiff. "Ma-Anna?" she blurted. _Mama used to do that when I was so little I can hardly remember it clearly. And Gerda has done that before, but…_

Anna frowned. "Mom did that when you were tiny?" she asked softly. "I didn't mean to make you all tense or anything, I'm sorry."

Elsa nodded and pulled away. "It's okay, really. I'm just not used to it anymore. Gerda has done that before and I tensed up then too. It just makes me…remember. I don't like it," she whispered, not quite meeting Anna's eyes.

"Remember what?" Anna had a feeling it wasn't as simple as 'I don't like it' considering Elsa had no problem with contact anymore (unless it was unexpected, from a stranger, or from someone she didn't like), and that she genuinely liked hugs.

"She didn't do it any more after you were born. I can remember Mama kissing you on the head like that when you were a baby. Gerda did it for both of us when we were little." Elsa glanced at Anna, her expression clearly worried about how her little sister would respond. "Mama would kiss me if I asked her to, but it…it wasn't the same. I don't know how to explain it. I quit asking. I mean, little me was partly imagining the different treatment and exaggerating it, I'm sure of it, and I do know that they did care about me…but they _did_ play favorites with you. I don't remember ever holding a grudge towards you or them because of it, but it did hurt. Quite honestly, I don't think Mama or Papa even knew that it hurt…maybe it's my fault since I should have said something, I don't know. One time when you were bigger, you found me crying in our room. You could barely talk clearly yet, but you hugged me and made me feel better. Even then you were trying to fix me." She gave Anna a lopsided smile.

Anna balled her hands into fists. _I don't think little pre-accident Elsa was as ok as we think. Seems to me she was already hurting, simply because she was being treated differently just because she was different._ "It's not 'fixing' to give someone a hug because they're sad or hurting. You know that. And do you know how ridiculous it sounds to say it's a little kid's fault that her parents are hurting her by not treating her the same as her sibling because she didn't speak up? That doesn't make sense. At all."

Elsa shrugged. "But speaking up _might_ have helped. They didn't even know they were hurting me. Maybe if I had said something, they would have acted differently. Anna, I thought about saying something, I really did. Little Elsa just thought the whole thing was normal. That there was somehow something wrong with her and that Anna must be better. So I stayed quiet. I didn't understand why Papa didn't like my magic, so it wasn't because I didn't like my powers, either. There must have been something else wrong with me that I just didn't know about or understand."

 _That means Elsa has literally_ never _believed there was nothing wrong with her. What on earth, Mom, Dad?!_ Anna hated the way Elsa had worded her last sentence; she hadn't said she had _thought_ there must have been something else wrong with her…she'd said there _was_ something else that must have been wrong with her. And she didn't sound upset about it; she just sounded resigned. "Elsa, there wasn't anything wrong with you. You were just an innocent little kid."

"Then why didn't they treat us the same?" Elsa looked down at her bare toes and wrapped her arms around her middle as she added, "Why did they even keep me if they didn't think I was good enough? Why didn't they give me away or, you know...kill me?" Another pause. "I actually…don't want you to try to answer those questions since I know there isn't really an answer. They were rhetorical. It doesn't hurt so much anymore; I know I have you, and I feel like Gerda and Kai are like parents, and at least Papa genuinely cares about me some now. But I just wish I could understand _why_ , if that makes sense." _I really do feel okay? That's surprising. I still feel little Elsa's confused and hurt emotions somewhere inside, but it's not overwhelming anymore. They're just there. Mostly I feel happy with Anna and Gerda and Kai being willing to accept me.  
_

"Makes perfectly good sense," Anna assured her. She decided to change the subject before Elsa made herself upset again, although she was fairly certain Elsa was merely questioning things. Also she honestly did not want to hear any more morbid ideas from Elsa about her parents killing her when she was tiny! _Sheesh, Elsa._ "D'you still want help?"

Elsa nodded and smiled a bit as Anna helped her to her feet. Even if Anna was helping her balance, it still felt nice to her to actually be standing on her own. "Don't let go!"

"I won't. I promise," Anna assured her instantly. She frowned as she watched Elsa struggling to just take a couple steps; the older girl stepped on her bad foot wrong and nearly twisted her ankle. "I got you," Anna said quietly. "You're pigeon-toed with that foot when you haven't got your brace on, Elsa. Like, a lot. I think that's why you're having trouble."

"Monumental deduction," was Elsa's only response, but she wasn't mad at Anna since she knew it was true.

"Can you try…not doing that?" Anna asked hopefully.

"I don't know."

Anna frowned, trying to think of something that might help. "Elsa, make something to hold on to with your magic, ok? I think I might have an idea," she said after a moment. "Is it all right to touch that foot?"

Elsa nodded hesitantly and followed Anna's instructions, but she mostly just felt confused and a bit worried. _And…what am I thinking, that I could rescue whoever's trapped at Dover? I can't even walk by myself. What if something like that cave incident with Jade happened again? I_ still _wouldn't be able to get Anna or me, let alone anyone else, to safety._

"Ok, _now_ try taking a couple steps again, sis," Anna told her, reaching up to give Elsa's hand a squeeze. "I'm just going to help this one stay straight if need be, 'kay?"

"…Okay." Elsa felt Anna gently straighten the bad one as she awkwardly moved it forward, and immediately tensed up. Why couldn't she do that herself? It wasn't like it wouldn't go; it just…didn't move right. All the same, she relaxed a bit when Anna did the same thing again two more times. _Even if it's with lots of help, that's…six steps altogether. That's much better than before, isn't it?_ Elsa nearly fell when Anna didn't help her the next time, and she couldn't quite catch herself before her bad leg just collapsed under her. Instantly she was on the floor, and she sighed. _Of course_ that had happened, even though she'd been holding on to those ice-railings she'd made. "Well, that was better than last time," she said finally. "But you _let go_!"

"I thought you were fine," Anna protested, but she felt bad all the same. _Of course Elsa fell. She was expecting help and then she didn't get it._ "I'm sorry." She scooted close to Elsa and just gave her a hug.

Elsa wasn't upset, just a bit disappointed, and she was quick to curl up against Anna right where she was. It really wasn't that late, but she was tired. _Anna thought I was fine! She usually assumes I_ can't _do things. That was actually…nice. Even if I did slip and fall. Oh well._

"Don't you want to actually go to sleep under the covers, Elsa?" Anna asked, knowing quite well her big sister just wanted to go to sleep now, even though she hadn't said so. Anna received a barely noticeable nod in reply, and she just picked Elsa up and tucked her into bed. "You fall asleep so fast if you actually feel safe," Anna said softly.

Elsa curled up in a ball and sleepily reached for Anna's hand. She did feel safe, for Anna was with her and Anna wouldn't let anything hurt her if she could help it.

* * *

Elsa bolted upright in the middle of the night…again, unsure as to why. Her first thought was a bad dream she just couldn't remember the details of, since it wouldn't be the first time that had happened, but something told her that wasn't the case. She felt the same odd dizzy feeling from her magic again, and she instinctively put one hand to her head in confusion. _Is someone trying to get in my head somehow because I was asleep? How would the white trolls even know I was asleep…?_ "Well, they could deduce that from the time difference, I suppose," she said aloud. Elsa tried her best to remember anything that might have seemed like a dream or otherwise, but she just couldn't.

She closed her eyes and tried to actually _make_ her magic stop the odd dizzy feeling instead of waiting for it to wear off. _Did I just have a bad dream? What woke me up?_ It crossed her mind that maybe something had happened to Anna, like when those bad men had tried to hurt and kidnap her, but Anna was just fast asleep, snoring quietly and half hanging off the bed. _I…I executed those people, though…I still feel horrible about it, but they cannot hurt us anymore._

' _You killed people and feel guilty about it,_ ' a voice Elsa instantly decided she did not like said. Almost immediately her magic's 'shield' went up again; she had felt something poking at her mind that she knew was someone else's magic, and she didn't like it, whether that someone meant to harm her or not. It hadn't _hurt_ , but it made her feel violated inside, like her privacy rights had been breached or something. The dizzy sensation was back, but Elsa thought she would rather have that than some weird thing she didn't know knowing her inner thoughts and fears. _What if there's a way to get that…whatever it is to talk to me_ and _block it from getting at my memories and thoughts? Maybe it would tell me something useful?_

Logically she needed to have some kind of harmless thought in her head if she pulled her magic's shield down…right? She thought of how she and Anna had teased each other on occasion when they were little with 'don't think about a pink elephant with purple polka dots!' and how that was quite literally impossible. _That will work!_ Elsa closed her eyes again and purposely tried only _not_ to think of pink-and-purple polka dotted elephants as she forced her shield down. She felt her hands growing sweaty with fear, but she purposely didn't 'say' anything mentally, hoping for some sort of response.

 _'Nice try, dilettante. Asinine to pull a mental shield down when you can keep it up, however. I read you. You are scared of something,'_ the voice said. ' _It is not a master of whatever powers it has,'_ it said to someone or something else.

 _'But strong enough to be valuable. Perhaps powerful enough with the right training to-'_

 _'Quiet. It is listening. GET OUT!'_

Elsa yelped, and instinctively flinched back, hitting her head on the bedpost. _Ow. And…and I am scared, scared of failing,_ the thought flitted through her mind before she realized what she had done. A second too late, Elsa felt the cool dizzy feeling rushing through her head again, and the connection was broken. She reached for Anna and buried her face in the pillows. _What have I done? Now what?_ The dizzy sensation intensified, and Elsa knew, despite how little she really understood about the whole thing, that the whatever-it-was that had 'talked' to her was trying very hard to get into her head. Elsa tried to pull the barrier down again, but this time she couldn't- _at all_ -and she was suddenly glad of it. The thing was probably a white troll, and if it could not break through her magic's barrier, then maybe she had a chance against them whenever she did go on that rescue mission. _I need an expert's help, I know I do. And that's not me, obviously, or Anna._

"What if there's a way to simply listen in on the goings-on without pulling the shield down?" Elsa wondered aloud. If she could do that (probably not, she figured, since that had nothing to do with ice magic, though that didn't explain how she could shield herself from her mind being read or communicate messages telepathically herself.) She impulsively lit the lamp on her nightstand and shook Anna awake. "Anna, please wake up. Please."

"Elsa, it's the middle of the night!" Anna protested grumpily once she realized what time it was. "Go back to sleep, you stinker!"

"But it's important, I-"

Anna didn't even open her eyes all the way; she reached out and pushed Elsa against the pillows and then flopped her arm over her. "Go t' sleep…"

"I swear, if you don't get up right this second, I am going to go down the hall to your room and eat all of your secret chocolate stash," Elsa said in her most serious, bossy big sister voice.

This failed to elicit the desired response; Anna merely huffed (rather scornfully, Elsa thought) and turned over, yanking most of the covers with her.

Elsa pulled the covers back-she couldn't _stand_ them not being even on both sides of the bed-and purposely dropped the temperature in her room to just over freezing, dropping a small pile of snow on Anna as she did so. _Now_ Anna bolted upright and nearly fell off the bed. Elsa couldn't help giggling at Anna's put-out expression. "That's what you get for not waking up!"

"That's no fair! Elsa, it's _freezing_ in here! Put the temperature back to the way it normally is in here, cooler than the rest of the castle, but not freezing!" Anna protested. "What on earth is so important that you just had to get up at who knows what time of night? I know it's not 'cause you needed help _again_ , because you wouldn't be teasing me if that was the case." Anna's irritated expression softened when Elsa's shoulders hunched to her ears.

Elsa didn't say it, but somehow Anna's stressed 'again' hurt a little, even though she knew her little sister hadn't meant anything by it. "I just…wanted to see if I could…send and/or receive telepathic messages…from you," she said in a small voice. Now that she thought about it, it did sound ridiculous. She was an ice mage, a cryokinetic, not a telepath.

But Anna didn't laugh or even grin; she just reached and gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. "Where'd you get that idea?" she asked simply.

Elsa explained about what she thought was a white troll, the shield her own magic had made, and the 'conversation', ending with the mistake she had made by thinking that she was scared of failing. "So…that's why," she finished. _And it sounds ridiculous._

"It's all right, Elsa. I'd think most people are scared of failing and would feel bad about killing people. The white trolls don't even know what kind of magic you have exactly, and they can't get into your head unless you purposely actively let them, which would be stupid. Them trying to get into your head is probably what woke you up," Anna pointed out.

"What if they did get information about me while I was asleep? What if-"

Anna shook her head firmly. "They didn't. I just know it. Your magic protected you. So, Elsa, go ahead and try to read my mind and send me a message. I'll think about something specifically silly so's we won't be fooled by just knowing what the other is thinking without any kind of magic."

"Okay." Elsa tried to 'talk' to Anna the way she had with the white troll and the someone that needed help, but there was no reply and she didn't feel her magic reacting at all. At least not a lot. It just stirred about inside her lazily. Several seconds passed before they decided it wasn't working.

"Maybe you can only 'talk' to other mages," Anna suggested. "Kind of like how Linnae can. That would make more sense. Maybe even only telepaths or something. It might even have something to do with the white trolls' lair or something. Since we know you can't directly talk to Emily or Rapunzel or something. Either that or you guys just don't know how yet. Or something like that."

"That was a lot of 'somethings'," Elsa said with just the slightest hint of a smile. Just as quickly, the smile vanished, and she looked at Anna with worried eyes. "Anna, what am I supposed to do?"

Anna set her jaw, and her blue-green eyes flashed dangerously. "I think the white trolls should be asking that question. They know you might have enough raw power to hurt, maybe even defeat, them."

"But while we were tying knots and things, you and Kristoff told me I should appear weak if I ever went to Dover," Elsa protested. "So they would be less interested in me."

"Well, that was never going to last. I can sure see that now! Elsa, Kristoff has told me about those creatures. They're dangerous; they can get into your head. They can't alter or take memories like the rock trolls can, but they _can_ do a lot of other stuff, like forcing people to relive memories over and over, putting 'em in a coma, stuff like that. I made Kristoff tell me what he knew about the last time a mage attempted to fix this. He spent the rest of his life like poor Liv in your 'The Littlest Elemental' story, and his companion was captured. It's _horrible_." Anna hesitated, not liking the terrified expression on Elsa's face. "All that to say if you can keep them from getting into your head without even much effort, you are a huge threat to them."

Elsa wrapped her arms around her middle again and just stared. "What…what about the missing mages? Are there mages from five hundred years ago trapped there, somehow still alive?" she whispered. _What is going on? And why am I stuck in the middle of it? I know it's selfish, but…this makes me want to just be normal like Anna._

Anna shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe? They don't actually leave their 'domain' much-they can't very often, now, because of something Grand Pabbie did-so they mostly rely on hapless mages going through the Strait of Dover, like on ships or whatever. Which you can guess happens very rarely. So if someone comes and tries to free their captives, they'll just capture them too. Please, Elsa, I know you just want to help, but I don't want you anywhere near that place," she begged. "I can't see you locked up and hurting…again."

Though Elsa still felt frightened, she sighed and shook her head. "But there are other people hurting. Don't they deserve a chance to get out of there? You've given me chances and rescued me over and over…" She paused before adding matter-of-factly, "Besides, you wouldn't _see_ me locked up or hurt."

"That's not funny!"

"I was not trying to be funny. I was quite serious."

"That's even worse! For one thing, quit saying I've 'given you chances and rescued you over and over'. Usually it's the other way 'round. And, even if it wasn't, Elsa, you don't understand…I won't be _able_ to get you out of there if something awful happens. I won't even have a remote fighting chance. If you went there you've got to be able to get in and out _on your own_. You and I both know that's physically impossible for _one_ person to do, even if they're a powerful natural mage like you," Anna told her. "Think of what Grand Pabbie's explosive could have done if we hadn't stopped it. You couldn't do that by yourself; neither could Emily or Rapunzel. We needed all of you, and even then the cloaking part still happened."

Elsa bit her lip hard and made her signature snowflake in her hand, just staring intently at it. "I…I _think_ , and I'm not trying to…oh, I don't know, sound grandiloquent or anything, but I really, really feel like I actually _could_ have stopped that explosive by myself if it hadn't been for Pabbie's mirror test…thing," she said softly. "I know that sounds really odd coming out of my mouth, especially since while you and the others were actually doing something to help, I couldn't even defend myself properly against ordinary people, but…" _Elsa, you sound crazy. Why would you ever think that? If Olaf hadn't managed to get you help in time…_ She shuddered.

Anna frowned when she saw Elsa's free hand flit to her neck. Although there wasn't a mark on her from that whole incident, Anna knew exactly what the older girl was thinking of. "It's all right, Elsa. It won't happen again," she assured her, hesitantly reaching for Elsa's hand.

Elsa flinched but didn't otherwise protest. _I can't do this. I_ know _it's most likely a suicide mission of sorts, and you know what? I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT! I really don't! Is that…is that selfish when I know there's others in danger…?_ A moment's more thought, and she figuratively froze. She knew _exactly_ why she couldn't-didn't want to-go. "I don't want to die, but I would willingly sacrifice myself to save others. I would be scared, but I'd do it. But…" she hesitated, struggling how to explain her thoughts, "I…I don't know if I can knowingly go into a situation where I would most likely be a prisoner for life, even if I did get the others out. I'd…I would want to get r-rid of myself, and I...I promised you I'd never attempt that again. I…don't think I'd be able t-to keep that promise…" Elsa scrunched her eyes shut, half-scared of Anna's reaction. What if Anna thought she felt like that again _now_? That wasn't true. Or what if Anna just got mad at her for spilling her fears out? _She's not going to get mad at you, Elsa. You know that._ "It's just…this isn't like that lab facility thing-I knew you would get me out of there even though I was still scared of what might happen in the meantime 'til you did."

 _Elsa's terrified. She's scared of what's going on and she's scared of how I'm going to react. I just know it._ "Elsa. Elsa, look at me," Anna said gently. She tried her best to smile back when Elsa tried to give her a shaky one. "It's all right to be scared. And you don't have to try to look happy around me. But anyways, what I wanted to say is just…it means a _lot_ to me to hear you say 'I don't want to die' like that. Lots and lots and lots." Anna hugged her tightly and wouldn't let go. _It means you're ok. That you're not hurting so much anymore._ "You're never going to be in that place alone because I won't leave. I wouldn't be much help if we got stuck there or had to fight, but I won't leave you alone. If you feel like it's part of your…job or destiny or whatever to try to help, I'll stand by you. But you have to wait until we get more solid information. Period. Going right now is just stupid."

Elsa nodded, grateful for Anna's understanding and the hug. Anna wasn't magic like her, but her baby sister's love and care seemed like magic to her in of itself. It made her stronger; it helped her deal with things; it made her 'damaged' self feel not so…useless. "I think maybe _you're_ the one in that legend prophecy thing," Elsa mumbled, quickly falling asleep again.

Anna didn't understand that comment since she didn't have powers like Elsa did, but she chalked it up to Elsa just being tired since it was, after all, still nighttime. "G'night, Elsa."

 **A/N: So, one, Elsa and Anna were able to discuss things (and be a bit silly) and Elsa did not get upset. Then they have found out a bit more about the white trolls in Dover.**

 **Don't forget sleepy-Elsa's comment at the end. Dun dun dun. XD :)**

 **More songs...**

 **I Lost Myself ~ReVamp**

 **The Cage ~Sonata Arctica**

 **The Last Night ~Skillet**

 **I will TRY to get the next chapter up next week, but I do not want to promise.:P**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Okay, so probably most of you know I have been missing in action/on hiatus for a long time. short explanation: My laptop broke. It is not going to be replaced for the foreseeable future. I am writing this on my phone. Because of that, chapters will be shorter and I cannot guarantee an update schedule. But I am tired of not writing, so I've taken the plunge and am trying to write this way.:)**

 **On to the story!**

Though Elsa did not remotely trust the rock trolls, a few days later she decided to swallow her now extremely solidified opinions of them and ask Kristoff if his troll family knew whether or not any natural mage could send the strange telepathic messages. "I do not trust them, but Anna trusts you, and they are your family, so I'm asking," she explained simply.

Kristoff scratched his head, unsure how to react to that statement. "I'm not sure. I could ask, of course, but-"

Elsa's reaction was instantaneous and instinctive. "No thank you." Maybe she would investigate the books in the library, in all the deep dark corners where nobody looked most of the time. Perhaps there was some magic book, one that didn't belong to those trolls. _I might be holding a grudge, but I just cannot trust those creatures. Not after everything that has happened until now._ "I am sorry, I don't know what I'm thinking, that is exactly what I originally asked you to do."

"Okay, Q-Elsa. I won't ask unless you or Anna want me to," Kristoff promised quickly.

"Anna wants you to," Anna said, grinning. She squeezed Elsa's arm as she added, "We do need to know more about how Elsa's magic works and how she might be able to master it if she wants to go confront those weird white troll things. I want her to be safe. This information could help." _I will never leave her alone if we attempt this at some point. I know Elsa isn't going to drop it, and maybe we_ can _rescue whoever's in trouble. But first we need to be ready._

Elsa sighed quietly but decided not to say anything more. Though she did want the information, part of her just couldn't stop thinking that Pabbie and the other trolls might not tell Kristoff the whole truth. No way could they go forward with false information; that was worse than going forward with no information in her opinion.

* * *

That night, Elsa bolted awake when she heard Anna's signature knock on her door. Still used to listening for that knock, she immediately went and opened the door to let Anna in. The younger girl nearly bowled Elsa over in her hurry to give her a hug. "Anna, what's wrong? It's two in the morning..." _Something is very wrong. Anna looks...scared. But this isn't like the other times I've seen her have a bad dream, either._

Anna set her candle down on Elsa's nightstand and sat down on the bed, being careful not to wake up little Anikka. "You...you're okay? No weird messages or nightmares or whatever?" she asked. Anna studied her sister closely. Elsa was clearly unhurt. She did not appear upset or angry or frightened, either. No, she just looked a little confused.

"I'm fine," Elsa said honestly, then added a second later, "Well, now I am worried about you." _What happened to make Anna ask that? Did those white trolls find out she exists? What if they go after her?_

"I just had a feeling like something was wrong. No reason in particular, I just thought you were hurt or upset or in trouble or...something. I don't know." Anna glanced to Elsa's window bathed in shadowy moonlight. "Is your window locked?"

Elsa nodded and then sealed it with her ice as well. "It was locked and I just sealed it as well. Nobody will come in, Anna. They can't. And I might not like to talk about it if I have a nightmare, but I promise I'd tell you if you asked if I did." She smiled reassuringly and gave Anna a hug. "See, I'm fine. Nothing's wrong. Don't be worried about nothing like I am sometimes."

 _I'm probably just being paranoid, but...I had to check. Besides what if I'm right? Elsa's_ my _sister. I've got to take care of her because she doesn't take care of herself properly._ Anna was happy to see that her hunch had been wrong, but she couldn't help still feeling worried. "Promise you'll tell me if your magic does anything different than usual? I'm scared those weird white trolls will hurt you somehow," she said after a moment. "I don't want you hurt yet again, and your magic being hurt hurts the rest of you too."

"I promise." Though Elsa did not want to lose her magic now, and knew she couldn't actually lose it, just become depleted, she couldn't help wondering not for the first time if it would be so bad if she didn't have her powers. She glanced down at her hands and sighed. _It's part of me and I love being able to play with Anna and protect others with it. I just hate what it has caused in the past. Because I have magic Anna was hurt and so was I._ Elsa hugged her little sister tightly. "I'm so glad I have you back. But you do know I'll be okay if something bad happens once we have a viable plan to attempt confronting those white trolls though, right?" _I might be scared but I will not worry Anna. Besides, nothing can take away the memories of my one year of time back with Anna. I won't lose that even if something horrible happens to me. As long as Anna lives I would still have hope._

Anna scowled and pulled away, her hands on her hips. "What is that supposed to mean? Are you expecting to fail?! I won't be able to get you out of there! We've been over this over and over!" Frustrated with Elsa's calm nonchalant manner and her own inability to get Elsa to understand what was wrong, Anna looked close to tears.

Elsa took a deep breath and closed her eyes before answering. "It means _if_ I was captured, _if_ you couldn't help me, _if_ the worst happened, nothing can take away the good things. You showed me love. You showed me that someone genuinely cared about me even though I had made such a mess of everything and hurt you. You helped me fix my mistakes. You always take care of me when I'm hurt or frightened. You _love_ me even when I don't deserve it. It means that now, now when I'm facing something awful, I can know that even if I fail, you'll never just...forget about me. That...that makes it so that even though I don't want to go walk into sure danger to help those other mages, I think I can if I have to." Elsa's quiet voice was soft but still demanded to be listened to. She paused before continuing her impromptu speech for Anna. "I will never be _completely_ over everything that's happened in the past. I know that now. But you have made it so I can live. I can live and be happy, even if I still feel scared or hurt sometimes. I want to give those trapped mages the same chance." _Please understand. Please._

"Elsa...what if you end up trapped too?" Anna asked in a small voice. "What if we go together and we get stuck somewhere and you're hurt and I can't find help? I don't want you to be hurt any more. I-"

"If I got trapped, I would want you to escape and leave me behind. I would be lonely, but I'd still know you cared about me." _That's the truth. I'd be terrified, probably, but I would never forget about Anna and I'd always hope she would find a way to come back for me safely...even though I've told her she should abandon me if that happened..._ Elsa's blue eyes were bright with tears, but she was smiling now. "And should I be hurt I know you would do your best to take care of me. I wouldn't be sad or scared if I died that way, because I'd have you there with me."

 _Elsa, you don't understand. I know you don't. "_ Elsa, it's not 'just' about me worrying about you, you know," Anna told her slowly. "I'm selfish. I like being around you. You're not only my big sister, you're also my best friend. I can't lose my best friend slash sister. I don't want to watch you die, I don't want to see you hurt _again_. You're right. I would do my very best to take care of you if we were trapped someplace and you were hurt bad enough that you couldn't get us out. But I'd cry and feel just horrible." She paused before adding, "I don't care what this sounds like, if I had to choose between keeping you safe and finding those people, I'd pick you every time if I had the choice."

Elsa stared at Anna blankly. "I'm just one person. I'm not worth multiple lives. It's not fair."

"Don't care, you're worth it to me."

Elsa thought she could somewhat understand that; she knew deep down inside if she had a choice between saving ten strangers and saving Anna only, she would most certainly choose to save her baby sister. She gave Anna a rueful smile. "What kind of people does that make us, I wonder," she said quietly.

"Normal selfish ones I guess."

The night silence overtook the conversation and the two of them fell quiet. There was nothing more to say. Elsa hugged Anna good night and went back to sleep. Anna still felt uneasy about the older girl's safety, so she decided to stay put for the rest of the night. Nothing was going to harm Elsa on her watch.

* * *

In the morning, Elsa woke to find Anna asleep in a chair beside the bed, her warm hand clutching Elsa's cool one. _Why did Anna sleep there? I'm not hurt or sick..._ Elsa knew Anna had stayed there trying to guard her, wanting to keep her safe from any potential danger. _I'm the one with the magical ice powers, I should be the one protecting her._ She quickly got up and pushed the sleeping Anna into bed. "You shouldn't have done that," Elsa whispered.

Anna made an annoyed sleepy noise and tried tugging Elsa's arm. "Nahhhh...my sisnrrr...Elsa...safe," she mumbled. Anna did not wake up.

Elsa was slightly amused at this; Anna was definitely not a nighttime bodyguard sort of person. She let Anna sleep next to Anikka and got ready for the day as quietly as possible. Elsa was just about to go downstairs when Anna bolted awake. She sat straight up in bed and stared directly at Elsa, who was standing by the door, her hand on the knob. "...Anna? What's wrong?"

"I just...Never mind. I see you're fine..." Anna clearly looked spooked. She frowned and rubbed her eyes. "Elsa, don't go anywhere alone right now, please. I know you like being by yourself sometimes but I'm really really worried about you."

"You had a bad dream." It wasn't a question.

Anna hesitated. "I'm...not sure. Nothing _bad_ happened, but it was creepy. In my dream there was a gravelly hoarse voice saying, 'She is close to the ice mage. She is not magical but possesses power.' I was standing in a dim cave with lots of ledges all over inside it. You weren't there, but I sort of felt like you were? Then a girl told me, 'You should go home before they discover the truth. You and whoever your magical friend is should be safe there.' She sounded very calm and had an accent I don't recognize. I turned around but I couldn't see anything of the girl except a shadow." Anna paused before she continued. "After that I was somehow looking down into this huge chasm in the cave. Then the hoarse voice sounded panicked saying THROW HER OUT! NEVER STUDY HER AGAIN! That's when I woke up." _It had something to do with the white trolls, I just know it._

Elsa's expression grew pensive as she mulled this over. Like Anna, she was also quite certain it had to do with the white trolls, but it also made her want to confront them alone rather than take Anna with her. If those creatures believed Anna had some kind of power they would hurt her. _They must have been digging through Anna's mind and accidentally let her see too much and so they won't do it again._ "Do you think you somehow have powers like me?" Elsa asked, her voice quiet and curious.

Now Anna smiled at her. "No, but I do kinda think I've got some special role to play in whatever happens in the future. You know, with the legend prophecy thing? I think that _because_ I don't have magic, I'm supposed to protect you and the other mages." Anna looked very pleased about this, even though she was still terribly worried about her older sister.

"You think I'm a member of the League of Seven and you're supposed to protect me...and whoever the other five mages are," Elsa stated after a moment's silence. _She is probably right. The white trolls are too. Anna_ does _possess power. She's able to make everyone around her feel happy and loved, and that has nothing to do with magic._

"Six, Elsa."

"No. I believe you are a member of the League of Seven." _That leaves five. Rapunzel and Emily, perhaps? If that's correct, we are missing three._ Elsa held no doubt in her mind that Anna was part of the mission. The white trolls had all but told them that.

Anna turned pink. She liked the idea of being part of something like that; it made her all too normal self feel quite special.

* * *

"I'm going to my ice palace," Elsa informed Anna and Gerda that afternoon in the kitchen after she had finished her paperwork duties for the day. "I need to practice with my magic and I don't feel comfortable experimenting with larger scale things close to others. I'm leaving you in charge, Anna. Will you take care of little Anikka for me?"

Anna frowned disapprovingly and Gerda gave her a worried look. "How long are you planning to be gone, Miss Elsa?" Gerda asked carefully.

"At least a few days." Elsa purposely didn't look at Anna; she could feel her little sister staring daggers into her. _I must be able to survive alone with nothing but myself and my magic if necessary._

"Let me at least give you some food to take with you," Gerda said firmly. "I'll not have you wandering about up there with nothing to eat."

"No," Elsa replied without missing a beat. "I'll take Linnae with me, so if I run into trouble or need to get home in a hurry, I can." She looked Gerda straight in the face. "I need to practice with my magic without worrying about my people. I need to know how to survive on my own. Linnae is my failsafe. She'll protect me if I need it."

Anna jumped out of her seat at the kitchen table and stuck her hands on her hips. "Just this morning I told you I don't want you alone! I know you'd have Linnae but that's not enough!"

Playing the peacemaker, Gerda suggested that both girls go. "It _is_ a fine idea, as long as you take the ice dragon with you. If you get hungry she can bring you back. The two of you can have a nice wilderness trip together." She looked to Elsa next. "Leave Kai in charge. We will be fine. Just..please keep yourself safe along with your sister. You can experiment with your magic with Anna there."

Elsa looked at Anna. Anna looked at Elsa. They both nodded simultaneously. "Let's bring supplies, just in case, and try not to use them," Elsa suggested. _I'm not an outdoorsy person, but I do know it is not a good idea to be totally unprepared._

Anna smiled. This idea she liked, and spending a few days in the 'great outdoors' with Elsa sounded fun. "How about...five days?"

"Five days. If you are not back by then I shall have Kai send search parties after you," Gerda said firmly.

"We'll be fine." Elsa hugged Gerda tightly. She still very much appreciated how much Gerda cared for her and Anna.

* * *

By evening the two of them had walked quite a ways up towards the North Mountain, to where Anna and Kristoff had first found Olaf the summer before. Linnae alternated between circling overhead and tromping behind the girls. "Do you wanna stop for the night?" Anna asked carefully. Elsa clearly looked tired, and Anna could tell her bad leg had been bothering her for awhile, but knowing Elsa wouldn't listen, she'd kept that knowledge to herself.

"Okay." Instead of setting up some kind of campsite with Anna, Elsa simply made a pile of snow and lay down in it. Then she created a small shelter of ice around herself and Anna. "Good night." _Despite what this trip is for, I'm actually having fun with Anna._

"We could try catching fish in the pond for dinner. Linnae's already eaten a couple," Anna said a minute later. Unlike Elsa, Anna was hungry.

Elsa sat up on her snow pile and looked from the pond to Anna and back again. "But we can't cook them...I don't know how to start a fire." _Also I would feel a little bad for the fish..._

"Kristoff taught me how to start a fire, so we can cook them. You-" Anna giggled when Linnae dropped two fish next to her. Clearly the ice dragon had just caught their dinner, and looked quite pleased with herself too. Anna patted Linnae's nose and told her thank you. The dragon blinked lazily at her; then lay down under a tree and promptly went to sleep, trusting that her creator would wake her up later.

Elsa watched as Anna worked on starting a fire, figuring her magic would probably make her worse than useless for doing that. "It's nice out here with you." Though she had a serious reason for going on this trip, Elsa felt completely at peace at the moment. _I'm honestly so happy right now._

"Agreed. I like being out here on our own." Anna made a few grumpy comments at her smoldering sticks. "This always works super quickly when Kristoff does it!"

"Anna...what do you think our parents would say about the League of Seven prophecy legend? Part of me wants to ask them for help, but I know it would just scare them..." Elsa dropped some dry leaves on Anna's tiny fire. They caught, and she smiled. "The Snow Queen helped make a fire."

Anna put some more sticks on the fire and then just sat next to Elsa gazing into the small crackling flames. "I love mom and dad, but I think asking them for help is a bad idea." She gave Elsa a hug. _It'd just disturb them and make Elsa upset._

Elsa nodded. _Anna is right. I knew that already, really... "_ You did bring warm clothes for once we get up past the snow line, right?" She hadn't packed herself any warm clothes and was just in her usual ice-dress, but Anna would not be okay in her summer clothes on the North Mountain summit.

"Yup. I won't freeze, Elsa, I promise. Let's just sleep here and have Linnae take us to the summit tomorrow, all right?" Anna began cooking the fish so they could eat.

"Sounds perfect."

* * *

Late that night, after a very delicious dinner of fresh fish, Anna awoke with a jolt inside their shelter Elsa had made when Linnae accidentally hit her with her icy tail. "Heyyy, go back to s-" Anna's sleepy-sounding voice trailed off. _Elsa._ The older girl was no longer peacefully sleeping curled up beside her, and the ice dragon _was awake._ Linnae could not wake up unless Elsa woke her up. _Well, Elsa probably just got up to go to the bathroom or she was thirsty or something, and she woke Linnae up._ Figuring this was the most logical explanation, Anna lay back down to go to sleep.

Just as Anna was almost asleep again, she heard a yelp and then the thud of something falling. She scrambled out of the shelter instantly. "What's wrong out here?!" Linnae tramped around in the moonlight, seeming quite agitated. Something that looked like a person dangled from her mouth.

"PUT ELSA DOWN, YOU CRAZY THING!" Anna shouted. She snatched up the knife they had used cutting up the fish earlier, figuring that was better than nothing. Linnae stared at her apologetically and backed up. Anna frowned. "Please put Elsa down?" she tried again. Maybe Elsa had fallen and Linnae thought she was helping.

Linnae shook her head slowly and pawed the ground. She could 'talk' to Elsa, but she could not do so with Anna because she was not a mage. _Elsa's sister must understand. I have to do this. I shall bring her back._ The icy creature flapped her wings and circled the girls' campsite.

"...Linnae, explain. I know you can understand me! Give Elsa back! If she's hurt I'll carry her home!" Hoping to get Linnae to land again (and knowing how much the dragon liked to eat), Anna offered a leftover fish. "You can have some fish! Let me see my sister!"

The ice dragon hovered directly over Anna, just over her head. Yes, she did want fish. Elsa's mission could wait a couple of minutes. Linnae gently laid Elsa down in front of Anna and then immediately snatched the offered fish, swallowing it whole. Before Anna could do anything more than kneel next to her sister, Linnae had picked her up again. Anna jumped up and tugged on Elsa's arm. The older girl didn't react. "Linnae, _please._ I want Elsa! I don't know where you're taking her," Anna said desperately. _I don't know why, but she's hurt. Something knocked her out._

Linnae seemed to hesitate for a moment before dropping a wing so Anna could climb onto her back. She _had_ to take Elsa, but Anna could come too. _Besides Anna can help with the mission. Elsa would want that._

"...I'm supposed to come," Anna muttered to herself. _You better just be taking us back home._ Anna stuffed all their supplies back in the packs they had brought and put them on her back. No way was she leaving their things behind. "Let me hold Elsa then." She heard Elsa make a quiet noise this time at the sound of her name, and almost instantly Linnae dropped her. Elsa went silent. _Something's very very wrong. I don't know what it is, but something is wrong. Linnae isn't acting right._ On instinct, Anna flung herself protectively over Elsa and clutched her tightly. She was _not_ letting Linnae carry her around in her mouth and potentially drop her again, whether accidentally or on purpose. "Elsa, please wake up! Please. You can talk to your dragon and make her take us home."

Anna felt Linnae gently pick her and Elsa up in her big clawed paws and immediately held Elsa's limp body tighter. _I will not let her fall. I will not drop her._ She scrunched her eyes shut as Linnae flew off above the trees.

 **A/N: I shall end this chapter there.:) I am SO HAPPY I finally typed this up! Typing on the phone is a major pain, but it's better than nothing.:)**

 **This is MantaI-305Apollo'sChariot signing off for now, over and out!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who's followed/favorited and/or is reading but not reviewing.:)**

 **raven678- Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it:) I think my tentative plan is to update once a week if possible.:)**

 **IndyGirl89-Elsa is mostly okay, but there IS something odd going on...Anna needs to figure it out, and fast.:P I'm so sorry I disappeared for so long! Yeahhh I had more of this story written too (probably the next three chapters or so?). I mean, I know what I planned to happen, but it's going to be a little different than my first version since I had to rewrite it and I wanted to add things. Losing writing sucks!!/**

 **On to the story!**

Anna hesitantly opened one eye and then the other as Linnae continued flying, seemingly back toward the fjord and the castle. "Linnae, can't you let us up on your back? This isn't comfortable." Dangling from Linnae's large paws, Anna felt secure but very uncomfortable. Also she honestly didn't trust the dragon not to drop her and Elsa.

Linnae's reaction was to immediately flip both sisters onto her back without landing. _They will be safe on this mission. I shall take care of them._ Anna squeaked in surprise and landed with a thump on the dragon's back. Elsa hadn't reacted at all; she was still limp, now lying across Linnae's neck. Anna pulled the helpless ice mage close and held her tightly, worried Elsa might slip off and be unable to catch herself. Linnae craned her neck to look at them and made a satisfied huffing sound. Her charges were safe there.

Anna was still very puzzled as to what Linnae was up to, but at least here she could see a bit of where they were going (despite the dark) and hang on, and she could securely hold on to Elsa without worrying about dropping her. _Maybe she's just dropping us off back home. Who knows?_ She decided to focus on waking Elsa up. It couldn't be good for her to stay knocked out for this long. "Elsa...? Do you know why Linnae is acting funny?" _Elsa feels cold, even for her. What if she's upset?_

Elsa predictably did not answer, but she immediately grew warmer upon registering Anna's voice. Anna couldn't see well enough in the dim moonlight to know whether the older girl was hurt or not, and she certainly wasn't lighting the small lantern in her pack while holding Elsa and riding Linnae at some unknown height in the sky. So she just held Elsa close, somewhat reassured by Elsa's magic reacting to hearing her voice. "Linnae, aren't we back to the castle yet? Please land. I've gotta check on Elsa, and I can't like this in the dark," Anna tried again to get Elsa's stubborn creature to listen to her.

Linnae only flapped her wings faster. Below, waves lapped at the rocks surrounding the fjord. _Do I take Anna and Elsa home? Or keep going? I am scaring Anna. I do not want to scare Elsa's sister. Elsa would want me to protect her._ Torn between proceeding with her mission and taking two of the people she cared about most home, she landed on a rocky cliff overlooking the fjord.

Instantly Anna slid off the dragon's back with Elsa still clutched in her arms. Linnae tramped round and round the girls atop the ledge, staring at them with her slightly glowing icy eyes. _Something is bothering Linnae. She's not acting normal, but she's not poisoned or something either like that time she went nuts and attacked us._ Anna carefully set Elsa down so she could light one of the small lanterns in her packs. The dragon promptly picked Elsa up in her mouth again. "LINNAE! Put Elsa down! Quit that!" Anna scolded. "You're going to end up hurting her!"

Linnae appeared horrified at this and dropped Elsa; then put her front paws over her eyes and whimpered. She had frightened Anna and might have hurt Elsa. Much like little Elsa might have, she clearly felt guilty. Anna sighed. _I feel bad for hurting Linnae's feelings, but I have to help Elsa._ She rummaged about in one of the packs to locate the lantern so she could have a bit more light. Elsa still lay on her side where Linnae had dropped her, just a foot or two from Anna. Anna knelt next to Elsa and squeezed her cold hand. "Hey, Elsa? I don't know if you can really hear me right now or not, but it seems like talking to you makes you happy, so..." Like before, Elsa's freezing skin grew merely chilly, and now, with the lantern's dim light shining on her, Anna could see that Elsa's tense expression relaxed. She just looked like she was smiling, sleeping peacefully. _Okay, well, Elsa's not...distressed or anything. But I have got to get her home because something's keeping her from waking up. Maybe Gerda can help._

Anna set the lantern down and focused on making sure Elsa wasn't visibly hurt anywhere. Linnae came over and snuffled at Elsa's hair; then abruptly huffed and pushed at Anna's hand. _She is hurt. You fix her so we can keep going._ Anna seemed confused to the dragon, so she pushed Elsa onto her back and went back to pushing Anna's hand. "I'm sorry, Linnae, I don't-" Finally Anna realized what Linnae was trying to tell her. Elsa had a cut and a nasty bruise on her temple, but it didn't look to be bleeding anymore. _That_ must have been what had knocked her out in the first place, but it didn't explain why she hadn't come to yet. _Now what do I do?! Linnae's being weird and I definitely can't climb down from here, let alone with Elsa._ Anna bit her lip and sat back on her heels. "Please take us home, Linnae! We need help, help I can't give!" Anna blurted finally. She wrapped the light blanket Elsa had brought with her around her sister and just held her tightly.

 _I...will...be...okay. I promise._ Elsa hadn't moved, but Anna felt sure she had somehow heard Elsa's voice. "Oh, great, now I'm imagining things," Anna muttered peevishly.

 _No. No...you...are not. I...I'm...safe._ Elsa's skin temperature dropped abruptly, but she still lay peacefully in Anna's arms. Linnae's icy eyes shone like beacons into the night sky. She slid the sisters onto her back again and took off before Anna could process a reaction.

"Linnae no! Please, please, please take us home!" Anna begged. The strange goings-on with Elsa only served to frighten her further, not reassure her that Elsa was okay. Then a sinking feeling in her gut told her she knew _exactly_ what was going on.

Linnae was going to take her and Elsa to Dover. Not home. Not the North Mountain to Elsa's ice palace. Linnae somehow believed that she was helping by doing that. At this realization, Anna screamed. "YOU NEED TO TAKE US HOME! PLEASE! YOU HAVE TO! DROP US OFF ANYWHERE IN ARENDELLE, I DO NOT CARE!" _This is bad, very bad. Elsa can't fight those white troll things if she's unconscious._ Frantic to get away from Linnae, Anna wondered if she could just bail and fall into the fjord. No, that wouldn't work; not only would landing in water from hundreds of feet in the air be a death sentence probably, she couldn't swim and hold onto Elsa.

Linnae hesitated and hovered right over the castle, still at a height far too dangerous to fall from. If only Elsa would wake up, they could bail and retreat into the castle. Anna gently shook Elsa again, not particularly expecting a response. "Elsa, please, you've gotta get us down! Please!"

Elsa's semi-conscious reaction was to try to hug Anna, although her arm barely moved. She could sense that Anna was upset, but she wasn't able to understand why. The mysterious connection that had let her express that she was okay that she'd had earlier was gone. All that registered in Elsa's mind at the moment was that she was hurt somehow, that her magic was flooding through her trying to protect her from something, that she was safe with Anna, who wouldn't abandon her somewhere, and that now Anna seemed upset.

 _Elsa's trying to hug me. She can at least sorta hear what's happening. That's good, right?_ Anna gave her a quick squeeze and whispered, "I _will_ protect you. I promise." Then she went back to shouting at Linnae trying to get her to turn back.

Linnae flew off toward the open water.

Elsa's powers crackled protectively around her and Anna, enveloping them in a cool sparkling blue aura as they passed through the rock trolls' magical cloak hiding Arendelle and its neighbors from the outside world and keeping non-magical individuals from entering or leaving the area.

* * *

By sunrise, Anna could see that they were somewhere over the Atlantic. Land was on the horizon; they needed a plan. And soon. She'd spent a long time after Linnae started flying away from Arendelle trying to get the ice dragon to turn around, but Linnae wasn't having it. Anna finally just gave up and decided to save her energy for one, taking care of Elsa, and two, coming up with some kind of plan. At this point even if Linnae flew low enough that she could bail, she and Elsa would die adrift in a huge ocean. Land on the horizon or not, they could not swim miles to shore. Without Elsa being alert, she couldn't rely on Elsa's magic to save them, either. That wouldn't do. Death by ocean or death by creepy white trolls. What a choice. _No. We are not going to die. I'm going to take care of Elsa and rescue both of us until Elsa can handle things again herself._ Anna's arms ached, but she refused to loosen her hold on Elsa.

Elsa still lay semi-conscious in Anna's arms. She felt warm and at peace now. The pink sunrise was pretty, though it seemed quite blurry. If she looked at Anna, Anna appeared faded and far away to her, but she knew that wasn't right. Anna was right there, the one keeping her safe and making it so she was not frightened to be on the way to face something she was thoroughly unprepared for.

"Elsa...? Elsa, can you see me now?" Anna's concerned voice cut through Elsa's muddled but calm thoughts. The light suddenly seemed far too bright, and Elsa's blue eyes fluttered closed. _Come on, Elsa, come around. You've been out of it way too long._ Anna had been somewhat reassured when Elsa blinked at her, but her lack of response when spoken to was scary. Something was very very wrong, and Anna wasn't sure what else to do besides continuing to talk to her. _And I don't want to frighten Elsa, either, because at least she's not scared. She actually seems happy. I'm not messing that up._

A shaky hand tugged on Anna's sleeve. "I'm okay," Elsa said finally, her voice not much louder than a whisper. _Anna was scared. I don't want her to be scared._ Elsa felt like her mind was still going at molasses-in-January speed, but she began trying to piece together everything clearly in her head anyway. _Last night...I was camping by the pond with Anna. I heard a noise. I checked. It was Linnae. She was agitated and upset. Then what?_

Elsa's thoughts were interrupted by Anna's concerned voice again. "...worried about you. Are you sure you're starting to feel better now?" Elsa blinked in the morning light up at Anna and then promptly closed her eyes again. She nodded and then winced; her head began hurting much worse if she tried to move. _Okay, Elsa. Focus. You need to tell Anna what you_ do _know. No. I need to organize everything in my head first. Right? Okay. Think, Elsa. What did Linnae tell you?_

 _No, wait. Elsa, tell Anna you are okay first. But be honest, too. Otherwise she will think you didn't hear her and she'll be scared. Also, I need to tell her what I am doing._ Elsa opened her eyes again and looked straight at Anna. "My head hurts a lot. I feel...confused. But I am okay. I need to...organize something so I can...tell you about it," she said slowly. _There. Now Anna will know. Good._

Anna was still terribly worried, but Elsa being able to respond coherently to a question and obviously being honest and clearheaded with her reply with something besides 'I'm okay' was very, very reassuring. Anna felt much better. _Well, at least she finally woke up. That's good. I'm still keeping a close eye on her, though. "_ Okay, Elsa. I'm still worried about you, but I'm glad you finally woke up. I'll be waiting to hear whatever it is you want to tell me," Anna answered. _Also, Elsa knows something about why Linnae did this. Maybe that will help us._ Elsa's peaceful smile also reassured Anna. Though it was obvious she was in physical pain because of her head, Anna could tell Elsa wasn't distressed or frightened. That was good. As much as Anna hated seeing Elsa hurt, she would much _much_ rather see her sister physically hurt than emotionally or mentally.

 _All right, Elsa. Put the pieces together. Linnae was agitated. I asked what was wrong. Then what?_ Elsa considered mind-messaging Linnae now to ask, but something deep inside her warned her not to right now. _Oh. I felt a...horrible rush of magic from Linnae. Her eyes lit up and she started flapping her wings frantically. It scared me. I said, Linnae, can I help? She told me something told her I had a mission I needed to do...now, and that it was her job to take me to it. Then...? Oh. Yes. Linnae started tramping towards me and I felt like something wasn't right, so I backed up. I asked her if it was the white trolls. She said yes._

 _...I tripped over something, I felt an awful...sonic boom of my own magic in my head. I felt sick...I fell. I must have hit my head on a rock or something._ All Elsa could recall after that was the feeling of her own magic flowing through her blood at warp speed, rendering her incapable of concentrating on anything else or waking up right then or otherwise letting Anna know she wasn't totally unconscious, despite being completely unable to voluntarily react to anything. Lying somewhere between consciousness and comatose, she had only processed the basic facts: she was injured, her magic was internally struggling to protect her, and her little sister was caring for her.

With that information, Elsa had been able to feel at peace with what was happening to her. Something had even allowed her to have the strength to mentally let Anna know she was all right, something she couldn't ordinarily do, or else, didn't know how to do. And oddly enough, Elsa didn't even feel like her magic was drained much, even after all that. _I wish I understood my magic better..._ She just felt sleepy, and her head hurt badly. "Anna...?"

"I'm here, Elsa. What is it? Are you hungry or thirsty?" Anna hugged her close. Nothing else was going to hurt Elsa if Anna could help it.

"No. I...I am going to...tell you what-" Before Elsa could finish, Linnae abruptly craned her neck around. Elsa forced a calm expression and smiled at the dragon. _I can't let Linnae hear me tell Anna. Something may still be affecting her._ Instead, she struggled to sit up and fumbled to pull out the notebook she'd packed to take notes about her magic experiments in. _Stay awake, Elsa. You've got to ignore the pain and let Anna know._ All Elsa wanted to do right then was sleep, and she was grateful for Anna supporting her as she scribbled down everything. The second she finished, she slumped weakly against Anna and closed her eyes again. _There. I just want to sleep._ Elsa's head hurt too much to let her fall asleep right then, but at least she could rest now. Anna would know what little she knew of what was going on. Linnae intended to land in Dover to 'help' her with the white trolls? Fine. That was land. She and Anna would have to get away from Linnae, at least for now until she got this idea from the white trolls out of her head, and find someone willing to help them get home. Elsa was not confident enough to think she could confront those creatures right now and succeed, but she thought she and Anna might have a chance if they merely attempted to escape. The trolls weren't interested in Anna any longer, and she was injured and not much of a threat at the moment. _It's just...it's possible they would want to keep me_ because _I can't defeat them right now..._

Anna quickly read through what Elsa had written. _This is what I was afraid of._ The only good thing was that it seemed that her sister had some kind of innate defense system against these creatures, even if it had pretty much rendered her comatose. Anna wondered if other natural mages had reacted the same way when they were kidnapped by these creatures and then their defenses worn down over time because they didn't have a companion without magic there to help them. Like Elsa, Anna thought if they could land and get away from poor delusional Linnae, they could most likely escape and worry about helping Linnae later. _I just need to physically keep Elsa away from these creatures. They cannot steal her from me if I hold on to her. They'll have to take me too if they want Elsa, I don't care what Elsa says about me escaping on my own. And they don't want me there for some reason._ This also explained why Elsa had stayed seemingly unconscious for all those hours. It wasn't just the head injury; it was Elsa's magic trying to protect her from further harm. She probably _was_ okay now, even though she was hurt. It also explained Elsa's body temperature warming back to her normal cool self when Anna talked to her and held her hand. _Elsa could subconsciously hear me and I was helping calm Elsa's frantic untrusting powers down for her._

"Anna...?" Elsa's quiet voice broke into Anna's thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. I think six months ago I would be...panicked right now. Instead, I'm a little scared...but mostly I'm just thinking that y-you saved my life." Elsa hesitated before adding, "You _know_ we're probably entering a death trap, right?"

Anna nodded. "I know. I also know we're _not_ dying today," she said firmly.

Elsa gave Anna a lopsided smile and sat up by herself, ignoring the pain still lingering in her head. "I'm not planning on dying, either. But I...I _have_ to say this. Anna, if for whatever reason I'm not...able to express this after today, I want you to know that I appreciate everything you've done for me _so much._ You have made me genuinely happy. You make life worth living for me. And I want you to know that _if_ I don't make it out of there unscathed...or don't make it out at all, you have _not_ failed me. Do you understand?" Elsa's blue eyes blazed fiercely, and she suddenly looked much more like the Snow Queen ready to face a battle than the seemingly helpless injured young woman that had been lying in her sister's arms just a few minutes before. _You must understand, Anna. No matter what happens, she's never, ever failed me. Even with that ridiculous Jade, that was not Anna's fault. She has never abandoned me when I needed help or just left me when I was in trouble._

Anna stared at her for a long moment before slowly nodding. She understood exactly what Elsa was saying as much as she hated hearing it.

"Look, I know you don't want to hear me say...that, but I needed you to know. I promise I will fight with everything I have. But I have made my peace with whatever happens. I will not die without letting the one person that never, ever gave up on me know that she made me strong enough inside to even _attempt_ to fight for my own life in the first place." Elsa's voice grew stronger as she continued speaking. "I'm not that girl crumpled on the frozen fjord last summer any more. I _will_ fight. I will _not_ just... _let_ an enemy kill me like I would have then if you hadn't sacrificed yourself to save me. I might fail, but I will go down fighting. I just wanted you to know that." _That is the truth. I'm still scared-I will probably end up terrified-but this won't make me panic. Other things might make me anxious, but those horrid white trolls will not make me have a panic attack. Not this time. And I will not be defeated without a fight. Anna has told me being brave is going forward and having courage to go on even if you're scared. I can do that._

"Elsa..." Anna gave Elsa another hug as Linnae began circling and flying lower, looking for a place to land. _I don't know what's gotten into Elsa, but I like New Elsa's mindset. At least I can trust her not to just give up and...die. Or worse yet, kill herself. She's not suicidal anymore. I'm so proud of her. "_ We'll get home, and I'm not going to leave you. I promise."

"You can't promise that, but...thank you." Already feeling spent, and in pain from the head injury, Elsa leaned back against Anna. She closed her eyes against the bright sunlight and took a deep breath. _No matter what happens, it's going to be all right. I did scribble a tentative plan down for Anna. She will know what to do if I can't verbally tell her since we don't want anyone or anything eavesdropping on us._

* * *

Minutes later, Linnae was hovering right next to the white chalky cliffs of Dover, looking for a way inside. Despite the bright clear day, Elsa could feel something dark and forboding emanating from within the interesting scenery. It made her shudder, and her magic didn't like it either. She could feel her powers stirring around inside her uneasily, ready for action if need be. The cliffs were large and intimidating to her; they looked nothing like the fjord cliffs back at home. These were pretty to look at, just like the cliffs at home, but if they were _anything_ like the rougher parts of Arendelle's landscape, they would be dangerous, even without considering the white trolls.

 _And I cannot climb them, not with my leg. Anna might be able to, but really, she doesn't know how either._ Elsa was determined to keep her icy magic to herself. She would _not_ use it unless it was absolutely necessary. A deep-seated instinct told her that her mere presence here was stirring up whatever horrid things that were inside those cliffs. _They feed off mages, and that Grand Pabbie told me I was the strongest mage he had ever seen. I must keep that to myself as much as possible._

A noisy machine hurtled by on tracks below them and disappeared into a tunnel. _A train. That is what that was._ "Here we go," Elsa said softly to Anna as Linnae abruptly went straight into the tunnel.

Anna squeezed Elsa's hand tightly and bit her lip as Linnae veered off into the darkness, away from the lights of the train. Elsa's magic crackled in the same protective aura around them like it had when they'd crossed the rock trolls' cloak around Arendelle and its neighbors, and then calmed again a moment later. _We crossed into the white trolls' actual domain._ Anna felt like her heart would beat out of her chest; the darkness was so pitch black it was horribly unnerving. She couldn't feel the dark and forboding sensations from the white trolls like Elsa could, but she did feel like she'd somehow...been here before. Cringing as Linnae began flying faster and then hurtling downwards into the darkness, Anna just wrapped her arms around Elsa and held on for dear life. _How are we going to find our way out of here?_

From somewhere behind them, the rumbling noises from the train echoed around the caverns within the cliffs. "Where are the lanterns?" Elsa's calm voice asked. Anna said they were in the packs, and Elsa fumbled around in the dark until they had the light of a lantern. Chalky cavern walls greeted them, and water slowly dripped from stalactites on the ceiling.

All at once a startled Linnae began dropping like a rock. A pained voice began asking for help, and Elsa whipped around looking for the source of the voice. Dark shadowy ledges became visible as their eyes became used to the dim light, and Anna buried her face in Elsa's shoulder. _We're gonna die in here or worse be left here half alive forever. Oh gosh. This is awful. It's exactly like the ledges in my dream. I_ have _to get Elsa out of here! We can't live here!_ Something solid slammed into the girls, knocking them off the dragon's back. "ELSAAAAAA!" Anna's panicked scream was muffled in Elsa's shoulder. Out went the lantern.

Linnae screeched, and flew off in confusion as Anna landed with a painful thud into something soft. _Okay. Okay. Elsa made a snow pile. This is good._ It would have been better if Elsa had simply caught them with her air currents, but still. Being alive was good. Being unhurt except for some bruises and scrapes was good. Except... _Where_ is _Elsa? What happened?_ Anna suddenly had a horrible feeling that what had happened was _not_ just an accident. Worse yet, she had both packs, so if she and Elsa got separated, Elsa would have no supplies aside from the lantern she'd been holding, and she could have lost that in the fall for all Anna knew. "Elsa. Elsa! I'm okay! Where are you?!" Anna shouted and shouted as she struggled to light the second lantern. _I have to find her. I promised! I promised I wouldn't leave her alone!_

 _"_ Anna. Anna, I'm right here," Elsa's quiet reply seemed to be quite nearby. _Be quiet, Anna. You know they know we are here. That thing slamming into us wasn't an accident._ Though Elsa had managed to cover the small ledge they had landed on with snow, she had landed awkwardly on the very edge of it and fallen off, barely managing to catch a handhold right below Anna. The only reason Anna had made the landing safely was because Elsa had pushed her away, closer to the middle of the ledge. "Can you reach me?"

Anna spotted her and managed to drag her back up onto the ledge safely, scraping her own arm and Elsa's on the rocks in the process. "Why didn't you just use-"

Elsa clapped a hand over Anna's mouth. _Because the more magic I use, the more likely those creatures will attack us directly._ She sighed deeply. They couldn't get out of there without her ice powers, but if she used them, then the white trolls would do worse than knocking them off Linnae. _We need to think more before we do anything. I can't take another hit like that and still be of any use to defend us. I'm lucky it didn't hit me in the head._ Elsa had taken the brunt of the impact of whatever rocky thing that had slammed into them, and now her shoulder and arm _hurt._ "I'm all right, I don't think anything's broken," she said softly.

Anna did not think 'nothing broken' meant her sister was all right, but at least she was sort of okay. Still, Anna tugged Elsa close and just kept her arm wrapped around her. Clearly tired, the injured ice mage held her sore arm to her chest and rested her head on Anna's shoulder. Anna was warm, and Anna's presence reassured her that no, she wasn't alone in this place. A horrible grating noise like fingernails on a chalkboard from behind them made Elsa sit up straight and turn around. "Who is there?" Elsa's authoritative queen voice rang out into the darkness beyond the light the lantern gave. _Do not panic, Elsa. Do not panic. You must stay calm and protect yourself and Anna._

Something chalky brushed against her arm, and she cringed as her own magic rushed through her head. The thing wanted to get in her mind, it wanted information, and it was angry it couldn't have it. _You seem frightened,_ the thing said in a harsh gravelly voice only Elsa could hear in her mind.

Elsa decided the best thing to do just then was own it. _The thing can't get my actual thoughts but it can detect my emotions. Okay._ Despite the overwhelming sickening feeling of awful horrible strong magic so close to her, Elsa kept her voice even and in control, like she would if dealing with a simple trade proposal and the like back at home in Arendelle. "What if it? Anyone would be frightened here," she stated calmly. "If you let us go, we shall leave never to return like this again." This was true. They would never return _like this_ again. She would come back an ice master with the rest of the League of Seven at her side.

The white troll snatched Elsa's arm in a vise-like grip and seemingly melted out of the rocky wall, yanking her roughly away from Anna. "Respect your superiors, girl!" the thing growled in a hoarse voice. "You entered. You do not leave. How dare you ask such a thing."

 _You'll never be my superior. I'm not supposed to be here now, but I'm supposed to in the future. There must be a way out._ Elsa held the troll's gaze straight on. It honestly did not look very intimidating, though Elsa knew she and Anna were in grave danger if they did the wrong thing. _It's like a white version of the gray rock trolls back home...that sheds chalk and has a mean grumpy face._

The white troll caught something he didn't like in this person's eyes. Not only was this human girl not backing down, she almost looked _amused._ Worse, there was all this magic _right there_ and he couldn't get at it. This girl was absolutely overflowing with raw power, and the innate defense system protecting her magic from being meddled with was very strong. It would help many, many trolls if they could get past it and control it. Not only did she not know how to use all of the power she possessed, she was insulting him by not fighting back with everything she _did_ know how to do. _I'm hungry! I need food._ The troll angrily crushed the human bones with little effort, and the girl screamed as icy spikes exploded from her broken arm. "Finally, a somewhat suitable reaction," he mumbled, sounding a bit less tired than before. She still hadn't directly tried to attack him; ice had simply encased the injury in violent fashion so that he couldn't hurt her further. _Why won't she_ do _anything?!_

Anna had been silent, as Elsa had written in the notebook that she should if they had an encounter with a white troll, but she couldn't stay quiet any longer. "Don't, don't do that! You STAY AWAY from her!" Anna shouted, jumping in front of Elsa. "Why w-"

Elsa sensed an odd crackling in the air that had nothing to do with her pain or the tired angry troll. _Something...froze everything. Not literally like my magic would. It's like the very air is stopped or something._ It made the back of her neck crawl, and something told Elsa that Anna was not hurt, just stuck in place by whatever magic had caused this.

"You're...not affected," a puzzled, accented girl's voice said. "Why not?"

"I don't understand." Clutching her arm to her chest, Elsa strained to make out the owner of the voice in the dim light from the lantern, but all she could see was a dark shadow. "Who are you?"

"Someone trying to save her best friend. Neither of us should be here. I will do anything to free her."

"You've failed yet again," came the deep hoarse voice of the troll. "Find the members of this League of Seven, capture them for us. Then you may have your friend."

The mysterious girl shone a flashlight toward the white troll's voice, illuminating Elsa's ledge. "I've located three of them. Four if you count this one. You promised I could at least _see_ her when I had located three." She sounded very angry.

"Rules change."

"We had a contract! You do not break a contract," the girl hissed. _I hope the League of Seven kills all of you then._

Elsa decided to use the argument to at least give herself and Anna some kind of protection; she quickly formed an impenetrable ice bubble around herself and the unmoving Anna. Instantly the white troll appeared a bit more energized at the nearby use of magic, and whipped around. Elsa stared impassively at him, her uninjured hand held out in defense mode, just in case. _I can cry later. I can deal with physical pain, I know this._

The troll began punching the bubble, and Elsa was glad to see that while the ice shuddered with each blow, it held. She sighed in relief and sat down. This reaction only made the desperate troll angrier. Not only was the human girl unruffled and seemingly unaffected by the awful injury he had caused her, she was also unaffected by the timestop and ignoring him. He could sense that yes, she _was_ feeling pain, but she wasn't terrified anymore. She appeared calm. And she smiled when the timestop ended and the other human started shouting again.

 _Anna. I'm okay. "_ Anna. Anna, calm down," Elsa said softly, tugging Anna's arm. "We are safe at the moment." She threw that horrible creature a disdainful look despite thinking a moment later that that was probably a stupid thing to do. But surprisingly the troll just melted back into the rocky wall, leaving silence behind him. Elsa was so relieved to have peace and quiet again that the adrenaline that had let her think clearly and stay calm began to wear off, and she bit her lip hard. _I'm not going to pass out and leave Anna to deal with getting us out of here. Come on, Elsa. It's okay._ She felt Anna plop down beside her, and she immediately felt a little better.

"I...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Anna said quietly. "Can I see it? Maybe I can help..." Though the troll hadn't been observant enough to notice what with his focus only on Elsa's magic, Anna knew her sister was hurting, and that she was not okay. Elsa's oddly calm demeanor had overtaken her fear in the troll's eyes, but it didn't fool Anna. Now there were tears trickling down Elsa's pale cheeks, and she huddled in a cold ball in Anna's arms. "Elsa. Lie down a bit while we can. And here, eat an apple. Or some fish. We still have fish. Quite a bit. Are you otherwise all right?"

 _I'm so scared. I want to go home._ Elsa did not move to follow Anna's instructions; she just stayed still. Though Elsa's magic couldn't actually heal her arm the way Rapunzel's magic would, she could feel _something_ different, trying to mend and protect the broken bits inside. At the very least it was cool and soothing and helping the intense pain go away a little. "I think...it's already trying to help," she whispered finally. _That's weird. It's like the trolls attacking me are making my magic better at protecting me._ Not wanting to accidentally stab Anna with ice spikes, Elsa quickly morphed the ice on her arm to a smooth impenetrable layer. "...Anna?"

"I'm here."

"I counted the turns Linnae took to get here. We are going to have to take a chance and try to find our way out of here," Elsa said softly. _No one in Arendelle will even look for us for at least another three days. No one will know we're trapped somewhere outside Arendelle either. They won't know where to look._ Rescue was _not_ coming, even if Olaf was able to locate Anna and tell someone back home about it. If they could make it back to those train tracks, or even just outdoors in general, someone in Dover _might_ spot and help them, but also two girls emerging from deep inside the cliffs dressed differently might scare people.

Beside her, Anna shivered; it was chilly inside the caverns. She gently shifted Elsa so she was resting against the wall of the ice bubble, and pulled out the warm cloak meant for the North Mountain summit. _Cool. We do have some supplies...we've got a chance. Elsa won't freeze. I won't either. Thank goodness I packed warm stuff._ The echoing sounds of rumbling and dripping were lonesome and unnerving, and Anna dearly wanted to start trying to make their way out. But first, she was going to make Elsa rest for awhile because she was hurt.

Elsa was quiet beside Anna for a few minutes, but then she abruptly yelped and sat up straight. _People here are hurt and they're begging us for help._ She scrunched her eyes shut, trying to message these people, to say _I'm sorry, I'm not strong enough yet._

 _We know. We will continue to have hope as long as necessary._ Then, from somewhere that felt much closer, nearly right beneath her, a voice Elsa recognized as fire mage Emily's, _Hey. Tell Anna to get you out of here. She's the key to you escaping safely._

 _WHAT? THAT IS HERE WITH THE NEW NATURAL MAGE?!_ came the horrified angry voices of multiple white trolls. Elsa inwardly facepalmed, but there was nothing to be done now. Already she felt the pressure of the trolls' magic pressing uncomfortably at her mind, begging for access to memories regarding Anna. "No. No no no...Anna, get up. Time to move," she said softly. These creatures might not be interested in non-magical Anna, but Elsa didn't know whether they would kill her little sister or attempt to, and she was not risking it. Obviously Anna held some kind of value or the white trolls wouldn't be so displeased at her presence. If only Linnae would come back as her normal self, they could simply fly out of there in minutes. _Do I attempt to climb down using my magic, or...?_

Anna nodded and strapped one of their packs to her own back and gave the other to Elsa. _I'm not risking us getting separated and Elsa having no food or other supplies. She'll just have to be able to carry it._ "Here, let me help," she said quietly.

Elsa let Anna help, trying to ignore her own hurts and concentrate on finding their way out. _Okay. Obviously there are many other ledges like this one, meant to trap other mages here. Ice footholds and handholds. That's the only way. Least amount of magic to give us the maximum amount of help. We decided this before._ "Let's go."

 **A/N: If it wasn't clear...Using magic around the white trolls strengthens them. This is why it's so difficult for any mages to escape and why Anna's presence is very important. With Elsa is particular, the creatures can sense her ridiculous raw power level but can't get at it because of her magic's innate defense system (remember, Elsa herself doesn't trust people easily, and her powers reflect that a hundred times over; plus, Elsa's magic got set off to automatically kick foreign magic out if at all possible after the incident with Kiara). This is extremely frustrating to the white trolls because they are very hungry and Elsa's powers could provide a _lot_ of "food" for them...but they can't get at it, at least not easily. **

**However, Elsa's not an ice master, and the creatures are really more powerful than she is, so her magic defaults to doing whatever possible to protect her. Here in this case, that means she passed out because her powers are focused purely on protecting her internally. Luckily Anna is there, so it doesn't matter.**

 **Next chapter coming soon!:)**

 **This is MantaI-305Apollo'sChariot signing off for now, over and out!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who's followed/favorited and/or is reading but not reviewing:)**

 **IndyGirl89-Good, you aren't supposed to like them;) As will be clear, Elsa cannot fight them directly...but she can defend herself in a way, because Anna is there.**

 **Olivia O'Neil and GeekGirl2-I PMed you so I won't make you reread the same thing here:) However I do want to point out that GeekGirl2 made a VERY good point in her review...and I shall address those things later on in the story:)**

 **On to the story!**

Watching Elsa carefully feeling her way on the chalky rock face, Anna couldn't help but think that they were getting far more adventure than they had bargained for on this trip. A simple outing up the North Mountain had turned into a struggle to escape the lair of the very creatures her sister had wanted to practice to get stronger to face safely.

Just ahead of Anna, Elsa hesitantly formed the next foothold and stepped onto it. Not only was she terrified that every bit of magic she used was strengthening the troll creatures, the rock was oddly soft due to the chalky composition. It was far too easy to break off in her hand, forget the possibility of ancient magical beings attacking them. One mistake and she and Anna would go hurtling into the dark chasm below. _If that happens, I must be ready to catch us with my air currents, which will most definitely bring out those trolls. I can't use the broken arm, so I'll have to lower us to the bottom of the chasm and just walk from there. Hopefully. I don't know. In any event I will not give up._ They had securely tied the rope they'd brought around their waists, so they wouldn't be separated in the dark, but that wouldn't save them if they fell.

Anna might have been physically strong enough to hold on herself and not let Elsa's weight pull her down, but Elsa knew if Anna fell, she would not be able to catch and pull her back up without using her magic to do so...which again, would attract the trolls. Each tiny section of ice she fastened to the rocky wall sent new stirrings of white troll magic trying to access her own powers because the creatures were 'hungry', and Elsa knew she was not going to hold out long enough for her and Anna to find their way out. _I think the best I can do with my powers right now to protect myself is...what happened before. There is probably a way to stay conscious and defend myself against a magical attack like that, but I don't know how because I'm not an ice master, and I think my magic 'knows' it._ _I feel dizzy. They are still trying to get in my head._ The dark magic-absorption feelings permeating the caverns was suffocating to a natural mage like Elsa; she wanted _out_. Inch by inch, the sisters made their way towards freedom. The next foothold Elsa tried to make didn't connect with rock, and the ice clattered into the abyss below. _Oh no._ All at once Elsa felt the same sensation she had when she'd passed out before, her magic flooding through her internally, frantically trying to keep her safe. The air temperature plummeted about twenty degrees. She bit her lip hard and rested her forehead against the rock in front of her.

"Elsa, what's the matter?" Anna asked worriedly. "I can feel something sorta being...off but I can't tell what!"

"I'm not going to last long enough for us to get out. I'm trusting you to save us." Elsa's voice was quiet and matter-of-fact, but Anna, knowing Elsa, could detect traces of anger and fear in her sister's voice.

"I'll do my best. Whatever happens...I will not leave you here. I promise." Anna sounded confident, but a bit of her was terrified now. What chance did she have to save them if Elsa couldn't, even with all her powers? _It doesn't matter. I_ will _get us out of here or die trying. And I'm not dying til I'm a wrinkly old lady! So there. I'm not gonna die here and neither is Elsa._

"Anna. If you have a chance to get out without me, you _need_ to take it," Elsa ordered, but she couldn't help the wave of relief that rushed through her. She knew darn well if Anna _did_ leave her behind, she probably wouldn't last very long. _I can't control this. I'm going to pass out and I'm going to end up hurting Anna yanking her down..._ Intense sparks of magic crackled blue and yellow with only traces of red around Elsa's hand, and she felt an eerie rumbling from deep within the rock they clung to. _My magic_ wants _me to keep it inside right now, but I feel like I'm a balloon about to burst._ A foot further, and Elsa felt her own icy magic flowing even faster throughout her body, crackling just under her skin. It made her feel unstable, as if she were an explosive about to go off because its fuse had been lit. _If I don't let my instincts take over, I could end up hurting Anna..._ "Anna. I think I'm going to faint. You need t-"

Anna scrunched her eyes shut, bracing herself for a sharp jerk if Elsa collapsed, but the extra weight on only one tiny section of soft rock made the handholds and footholds Elsa had made snap free, taking rock with them. She screamed as the two of them fell, but they landed on another outcrop of rock only a few feet down. _Owww. And t_ _hank goodness. What if...no. I'm not even considering that. We didn't die._ "Okay, Anna. Think," she muttered to herself. Elsa lay next to her, waves of cold air emanating from her body, though otherwise her magic stayed inside to protect its owner.

"Stairs," came a weak voice from only a couple feet above and to the right.

Anna jumped. That was Emily's, the fire mage they had met before, voice. How had she gotten trapped here? _Dumb question. Same way we did: being in the wrong place at the wrong time._ Anna lit the lantern again with shaky hands and looked up; she could see Emily's tired face looking down at her. _I've gotta get Emily. I know Elsa and I didn't come here to rescue people, but she's RIGHT THERE._ She looked down at Elsa and squeezed her hand. Elsa didn't seem distressed or upset, at least at the moment. Knowing that if she got Elsa away from here, Elsa would wake up and be fine reassured her. _Elsa would want me to get Emily down so she's not alone. I know she would._ "I'm going to come get you," Anna called, untying the rope from around her waist. _Just hang on, Elsa. I promised I would keep you safe and I'm gonna keep that promise._

"No," Emily said sharply. "You can't." _If she comes to get me, she may get stuck here, and she won't be able to get Elsa out. I may not even be part of the League of Seven, but I know they are. Unless Elsa changes her mind completely. That's the one real hope anyone trapped here has._ "Get free. You must." Emily also knew that Anna couldn't carry _two_ natural mages on her own. She'd have enough trouble with one. "Look. I mean it. I'll not die here. I promise."

Teetering on a foothold between her ledge and Emily's, Anna tried to consider what she was doing. _"_ How can you promise that, Emily?" _Wait. I left Elsa alone! What if those awful creatures take her?!_

"I've got the best deal a prisoner can here. I don't fight back when they deplete my magic. They do not force me to relive memories or nightmares." Emily's beaded braids disappeared back into the dark. "Goodbye for now." _And take our only hope with you so it isn't snuffed out. Fast._ From everything she had heard here, the white troll creatures wanted to find and capture each member of this generation's legendary League of Seven one by one, so that they could never gather and defeat them in the future. Emily touched a hand to the chalky rock beside her and closed her eyes, allowing the disguised troll she knew was there to access her memories, but also give herself a tiny bit of power as well. _Learn to mind-message on your own, Elsa. And. Break to the trai-_

Elsa felt like she knew this 'voice', but she couldn't place it. Then, somewhere deep inside, Elsa's mind registered _Anna is gone. She is not here._ All of a sudden she was eight years old again just after the accident, when she had moved into her own room for the first time. _Anna is missing. Is she okay now? I made her sad. What if I can never talk to her again? Taking away Anna's memories of my magic isn't fair! She's my sister!_

 _I don't wanna lose her._

 _You hurt her, Elsa. You have to stay away, you can't control-_

Ice exploded violently from beneath Elsa where she lay curled up on the ledge. Rivulets of bitterly cold frost and rime crackled up and down the chalky rock walls, and Anna yelped in surprise, realizing that something was very wrong. _Emily was right! I gotta get back to Elsa! I left her!_ The ice on the rocky wall was too cold to touch, and Anna glanced back for a moment. Elsa's ledge was close enough to jump to, but if she missed or slipped...

A troll morphed into view next to Elsa. It appeared excited but cautious. _I have to get back there! Now!_ Anna took the chance, scrunched her eyes shut, and jumped towards Elsa's ledge. The entire surface was slippery from Elsa's magic, and Anna immediately sat down to avoid falling. "Leave her alone!" Anna shouted. "Touch her and I'll...I'll...you will be sorry!" She ignored the freezing cold emanating from Elsa's body and pulled her close. Unlike the first time Elsa had passed out like this, now her expression was terrified. She looked very upset, like Anna had seen her many times before if she had a nightmare. _No. No, I'm not letting that happen. Not again._

Elsa's magic did not calm in the slightest, but the all too real nightmare from the past faded. Traces of Elsa's present reality began to burrow into the memories, and her mind relaxed. Anna was back. Anna had saved her. She would not be left there trapped in awful memories.

Anna clutched Elsa in one arm and brandished their fishing knife at the troll with her free hand. "Get AWAY! You will never, ever have my sister!" Scrambling to her feet, Anna went for the stairs Emily had pointed out, dragging Elsa with her. _I've got to find a better way. I'm going to hurt both of us doing this._ Still, as long as she was with Elsa, Elsa wouldn't be all upset. Though Elsa's skin was still very very cold, her expression had relaxed again, so Anna knew one thing: for some reason, contact with her meant these horrid creatures could not force Elsa's unconscious mind into a nightmare. Therefore Anna would _not_ let her go again.

" _But we're hungry!"_ the young white troll behind her wailed.

"WELL EAT SOMETHING ELSE!" Anna yelled, her angry girlish voice echoing around the caverns. A disturbing rumbling began, spreading from behind her, and Anna felt as if her heart would beat out of her chest. "Oh, Elsa, I wish you'd wake up. I'm scared and I want help," she muttered, half to herself and half not.

 _Anna. Anna, I'm...trying._ Elsa's hesitant uncertain message was clear. Deep inside she felt as if what those creatures had tried to do to her had awakened a tiny bit more of what she might be able to do with her magic, though she didn't really know how. In any event, she _had_ heard Anna's desperate request for her help. She could vaguely sense Anna clutching her tightly and dragging her along, but mostly it seemed as if it were happening to someone else. All Elsa could really feel at the moment was her agitated magic flooding through her, a river of cold overwhelming the horrible troll magic from hurting her or depleting her own icy magic stores.

Anna was surprised to actually get a reply from Elsa, even that way, but she just held her tighter, ignoring the bitter cold emanating from Elsa's skin. _I have to get her out of here._ Anna glanced behind her for a moment, but the awful rumbling seemed to have ceased, at least temporarily. _Okay. Have to keep going. Elsa's trusting me to get her out. She said so before._

* * *

ARENDELLE

"Olaf, can you tell where they are?" Kristoff asked again, sounding very worried. After finding the remains of the sisters' campsite by the pond, and zero signs that they had gone on further, he was convinced something bad had happened. Arriving back to the castle to find Olaf waddling about in circles saying he thought Elsa was sad and Anna was far away only confirmed his suspicions.

"They need help!" the little snowman informed Kristoff. He stopped waddling about and plopped down near one of the fountains in the courtyard.

"Yes, but where are they? Where do we need to go look?" Kristoff asked again.

Olaf seemed to concentrate very hard for a moment and then bounced to his snowy feet. "Trolls!" he exclaimed suddenly. "Elsa says they're trapped."

Kristoff frowned. "Elsa _says_?"

"Yes. Elsa's magic is scared."

Kristoff had a sinking feeling in his gut that he knew what had happened. _Grand Pabbie wouldn't trap Anna and Elsa in the Valley of the Living Rock, and Elsa wouldn't go there anyway._ "Olaf, do you know how to get to the Valley of the Living Rock?"

"But Anna and Elsa aren't there. I wanna help find them!" Olaf's twig arms waved dramatically.

 _Suspicion confirmed._ "I want you to go there and tell Grand Pabbie something. Can you do that? I'll be following right after you, after I tell our other friends here at the castle what's going on." Kristoff was relieved when Elsa's little snowman nodded eagerly, happy to have a helpful Thing to Do. "Good. If I don't catch up with you, tell him if he wants Elsa to help defend him and the other rock trolls in the future, he needs to help get Anna and Elsa out of Dover."

"Dover?" Olaf knew the sisters were outside Arendelle, but it was too far for him to tell where.

"You said they're with trolls. They aren't in the troll valley, so they must have gone to the white trolls' domain. In Dover." Kristoff sighed. _I bet Linnae took them. Did Elsa plan this or was it an accident...? What happened?_

Olaf looked scared now. "But, you said if Elsa went there she would get trapped. Anna is with her. She will get stuck too. Are my friends going to die?" The snowman could sense that Elsa was scared and angry but oddly relaxed as well, and it made him very confused. Maybe Anna was protecting her. That made sense.

Kristoff hesitated, unsure what to tell innocent Olaf. "We're going to try to help them. I know some stuff about the white trolls, enough to know I can't do anything, especially from here. And I can't get outside Arendelle to look for them without magic. And, if we went by ship, it'll probably be too late. So we need to get help from Grand Pabbie. Okay?" _Hopefully Olaf will understand..._

"Okay! Let's rescue Anna and Elsa and Linnae!"

* * *

In the Valley of the Living Rock awhile later, Olaf called for Pabbie. "PABBIEEEEE! Grand Pabbie! KRISTOFF SENT ME TO ASK FOR HELP!"

"No need to shout, Olaf," Bulda assured him. "We've been waiting for someone to come."

"Kristoff says if Grand Pabbie wants Elsa to help-Oh hi Kristoff!" Olaf exclaimed as he saw Kristoff's wagon roll up.

Kristoff jumped out and gave Sven a pat before running over. "Bulda, please get Grand Pabbie. I'm hoping you have some ideas to save Anna and Elsa before it's too late."

Pabbie rolled over and stood up, his serious expression even more so than usual. "Queen Elsa must master her powers," he stated solemnly.

"K, great, we know that," Kristoff said impatiently. "She's not going to mysteriously master her magic so she and Anna can escape. They need help. Can you do anything from here that would, like, strengthen Anna and Elsa or weaken the white trolls?"

"There is only one instance I know of in which a mage and his companion successfully escaped the lair of those creatures," the old rock troll said slowly. "And even then..."

"Tell us tell us tell us!" Olaf exclaimed hopefully.

Grand Pabbie looked increasingly apologetic. "He allowed his magic to be depleted and his non-magical companion made the decision to offer some of his brother's blood to leave behind, as he was an earth mage and provided more sustenance to the white trolls than another type of magic might."

Kristoff frowned. "And? They just let the brothers leave?" _Pabbie's leaving something out._

"No, they made it out to the strait while the white trolls were distracted." Pabbie's rocky face was clearly concerned. "It is no matter. Princess Anna must be able get her sister out before the white trolls figure out how to get past Queen Elsa's innate magic defenses. If they feed off that scale of raw power, they will most likely be able to leave Dover again temporarily. It would spell disaster for magic all over the world."

"But we can help Anna and Elsa, right?" Olaf asked, his funny snowy face suddenly looking very serious.

"I am afraid not. Sending any kind of magical intervention to help them will only strengthen the white trolls and make it all the more difficult to escape," Grand Pabbie explained.

"We can't just do nothing!" Kristoff protested. "That's my fiancée and my future sister-in-law! Heck the country needs them, too! I'm not abandoning Anna and Elsa and leaving them to their fate."

The old troll was clearly very sad. "Kristoff. No one can even leave Arendelle and the immediate neighbors without magic. If I give you one of the power crystals so you can leave, then you'll be in danger as well. Not to mention none of them are powerful enough to get you to Dover quickly enough to be of help."

"Gimme the strongest one you have! Even if they _are_ able to escape, they may be trapped somewhere with no money or way to get home in an unknown country. And neither of them know how to rock climb on those cliffs safely. They could die!" Kristoff was beginning to sound desperate. "I know Anna told me they had supplies for five days, because that's how long they were planning to be gone. Forget the stupid evil creatures, Anna could end up trapped on some cliff ledge somewhere with Elsa with her magic depleted and they won't be able to get help from people there. That's the best-case scenario. I've got to go after them."

"...Kristoff? Elsa's magic hurts," Olaf announced, his usual bright cheerful voice quiet and sad. He sounded oddly tired, which was even more weird for Olaf, who never really slept, per se.

Up on the North Mountain summit, Elsa's ice palace shone yellow and red, a disturbing beacon saying its creator was in trouble...and deeply angry and frightened.

* * *

Back in Dover, inside the troll caverns, a distraught Anna sat curled up holding Elsa next to a stalagmite on the damp cavern floor, unsure what to do now. The white trolls had chased her down those stairs and around and up and down and now she was lost and exhausted in the dark. The good thing was that she could hear the train clearly now, so they were definitely closer to safety. The bad thing was that cornered here, she hadn't been able to do a thing to stop those creatures from trying desperately to deplete Elsa's magic. Elsa had woken up temporarily while the trolls were conversing with one another and not bothering them. Her last words still burned in Anna's mind.

 _"I'm going to let them deplete most of it and just keep a tiny bit so we can get up to the train. I can't fight them. My instincts know that for sure. I love you, Anna. If this doesn't work, I'm sorry."_

It hadn't worked. Elsa had only been able to force her magic defenses down for a few seconds before they kicked in again, making the trolls even more angry. They thought the two human girls were trying to trick them. Anna remembered snatching Elsa away from one of the younger ones and then tumbling several feet further to where they were now. Even without magic, Anna could feel the creatures surrounding her and Elsa, preventing them from finding a way out while they tried to figure out how to get the "food" from Elsa's powers.

The lantern had been broken, and Anna nibbled some leftover fish as she tried to think what to do next. Elsa had started breathing fast and shallow, and Anna worried that this place was making her sister ill. If it felt suffocating to her and she _didn't_ have magic, who knew what it must be like for Elsa. She finally just buried her face in Elsa's shoulder and cried, not noticing that Elsa was no longer freezing to touch. _I wanna go home. I promised Elsa I would get her out of here. And I can't. She's hurting and I can't fix it. I don't even know if falling down here hurt her and I can't see to find out. She could have hit her head. Or worse!_

"...that girl calms the mage's powers enough that we can get past its defenses temporarily," Anna heard one troll say. Dark gray swirls of sparkling magic suddenly enveloped Elsa's body, and Anna sneezed as if it were smoke. Elsa tensed in her arms for a few seconds and then went completely limp. _I'm dying. I'm glad I told Anna I love her,_ Elsa thought absently, her thoughts oddly calm and peaceful as she felt a deep-seated pain in her heart, as if something were tugging at the core of her magic, trying to empty it. Something was puzzling, and she couldn't remember where she was or why or how long or anything else, but the magic would not go. It would stay in its owner where it belonged. Then, _I promised Anna I wouldn't give up again. She made me promise._ The old tiny scar on Elsa's left wrist from her suicide attempt when she was eighteen tingled. _She made me promise I wouldn't attempt that again. I can't die yet._

Abruptly Elsa wrapped her bad arm around Anna and slammed her right palm to the ground on instinct. Thick ice tinged yellow and purple instantly spread beneath them, quickly forming into a tall platform carrying them up and away from the cavern floor and towards the train. The train roared by again, this time clearly only a few feet away.

Anna was just thinking, _yes maybe we're safe now!_ when disaster struck. Whatever strength that had let Elsa make the platform gave out and she went limp in Anna's arms again. She could hear the white trolls below cheering. While they had not been able to deplete nearly as much of Elsa's magic as they would have liked, the small amount they _had_ gotten had made them energetic and happy. That combined with Elsa's last-ditch effort to save them had strengthened the creatures and made them much more powerful. Grayish sparks of troll magic flitted up the cavern walls, and two trolls scrambled up Elsa's ice tower and appeared over the edge of the platform. One seemed to be a baby. "Yay magic!" it shouted happily. "Give us more!"

Anna kicked at it, and the baby troll grabbed her leg and pulled. "Not you! Want that human! She has more magic to share! Give me!" it demanded.

"No! She's my sister! You took enough already!" Anna screamed. "You might kill her!"

The second troll stared, holding a magical lamp of sorts. "We don't want to kill your sister. She won't feed us anymore then," it said, obviously puzzled. "Besides surely you know natural mages like her can't _lose_ their powers. We can't kill them by depleting their magic."

Anna was confused now. "What do you want then? If you got what you wanted why can't you let us go?"

"We're hungry," a third troll said simply.

"...Elsa doesn't have any more to give," Anna said softly, her blue-green eyes bright with tears. "You hurt her."

The baby troll shifted uncomfortably. "Can't we kill the ordinary human and keep the magical one?" it asked hopefully.

"No. We do not kill ordinary humans," the second troll said firmly. "If you leave the mage here, we will allow you to leave our home."

Anna held Elsa tighter. She knew darn well what Elsa would tell her to do. _I'm not leaving her here. I can't. I don't care what Elsa said. She said she would be okay if I had to leave her, but I know Elsa. She'd be devastated._ "I can't do that. Never, ever!"

"It's what she would want. I know it. You just thought it."

 _I'm not leaving her. I promised I wouldn't._ Anna shook her head stubbornly. "She's my sister and I promised I would take care of her. I promised I wouldn't leave her. No matter what. Can we give you something else? I mean, Elsa won't be much good to you anyways. Her magic defenses will go up again," Anna pointed out. _If they insist on keeping Elsa they will have to keep me too. I will never abandon her._

The trolls glanced at one another. This was true. Getting more magic from Elsa might be more trouble than it was worth. "Blood. We want blood," they said finally. "It's better than nothing."

Anna frowned, remembering Jade wanting Elsa's blood to somehow get her magic and failing. "Why? That doesn't give you her powers and it'll hurt her."

"We aren't the human you're thinking of. It's food. Just not as good as pure magic."

The baby troll again tried to grab Elsa away from Anna. This time it was the other trolls holding it back. "Fill this and you may go," one said, pushing a large container toward Anna.

Anna stared in horror. "Are you insane? I don't even know if humans have that much blood in them!" she exclaimed in disgust. _Elsa's trusting me to get her out, and if I do this, I might get her out but I'll kill her._ Anna was not even sure that the trolls were telling the truth. Who knew if they wouldn't just take Elsa's blood and then keep her and Elsa too.

"They do. We have made this offer before."

"...Before?" Now Anna was confused. She suddenly thought of something. _I'm Elsa's sister. Maybe her blood would mix with mine and the magic would spread through both?_

"Your blood won't help, girl. You are not a mage. You have no power. You are useless to us. That is why we will let you go if you leave her behind."

 _No. I do have power. My power isn't magic, but I can make Elsa happy. I can make her feel accepted and loved when she's scared or hurt._ Anna squeezed Elsa close. These creatures were _not_ going to hurt her too with those comments. _I have something you'll never have._

"What is it you think you have that we never will?" one asked snidely.

 _The power to make someone who's been hurt her whole life confident enough to defend herself from you,_ said Anna's mind. Out loud she said, "Elsa. You'll never have Elsa." _Not how you want. She will never give up as long as I don't leave her._

The troll backed up a step at that, and Anna couldn't help feeling satisfied, knowing the creature had probably read her thoughts but not caring now.

"Fill the container halfway," the other adult troll offered, "since that mage is much smaller than the last one."

Anna scowled. This had to be better than staying here. She could take care of a hurt Elsa once they got out of here. "Fine."

 **A/N: Will they get out?! Of course.:) No promises on when though...**

 **I want to show that Anna DOES have power in her own way, and that it is not magical in nature. She calms Elsa and her magic not because she has magic herself, but because Elsa's powers are directly and deeply tied to Elsa's emotions. And Elsa's instincts even when she's injured and not completely conscious tell her _Anna is here and she isn't going to leave me._ Anna is one of the very few people Elsa trusts implicitly, and that lets her stay in a calm mindset...even in muddled thought processes that certainly aren't clear.**

 **Next chapter coming soon!**

 **I do owe a couple PMs and I shall do that ASAP:)**

 **This is MantaI-305Apollo'sChariot signing off for now, over and out!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who's followed/favorited and/or is reading but not reviewing:)**

 **I believe I replied to everyone's reviews via PM, so if I missed yours feel free to tell me.:P**

 **On to the story! And a chapter of feels, hopefully:)**

"Elsa? Elsa, I'm not sure if you can hear me, but this will hurt for a minute and then we'll get out of here," Anna whispered to Elsa. She held Elsa securely and moved over to the stupid trolls' container. The older girl made a quiet pained noise but didn't otherwise react. She was just slumped against Anna, her pale arm over the container. _Elsa, I'm so sorry. I don't know what else to do._

"'Kay that's quite enough," Anna said firmly. "It's half full like you said." She yanked Elsa's arm away from the container and wrapped a strip of the blanket Elsa had brought around it. Elsa's skin felt cold and clammy, not like her usual cool self, and it was scaring Anna. _What if I made a mistake? I could've made Elsa sick!_

"This isn't enough!"

" _But you said!_ " Anna wailed. "If you take more you might kill her!" She kicked at the troll, and it shoved her aside, trying to yank Elsa away from her. Anna yelped and held on to Elsa tighter. "You're not having more! Elsa hasn't got that much blood in her!"

"We need more! It's not our fault that mage is so small! _Give us more!_ There is more power there! Much more! She has so much magic for something her size!"

Anna knew the creatures could just crush her if they chose, especially after seeing what they had done to Elsa's arm, but she took a chance anyway, snatching the trolls' knife and slashing at the nearest troll with it. A large piece of chalky rock fell off the creature, grayish magic sparks crackling in it. "Get _away_ from my sister! You're not going to kill her!"

The troll screeched seemingly in pain and surprise, and it grabbed at Anna.

Out of nowhere, Linnae flew into view, and Anna wasn't sure whether to be glad or scared. But the ice dragon just snatched the girls in her big icy clawed paws and flew at breakneck speed away from the white trolls. They burst into blinding sunlight and Linnae deposited them at the top of the cliffs. Linnae seemed very apologetic as she nuzzled Anna's neck and then Elsa's. She snuffled at the frostbite on Anna's arm from holding onto a freezing Elsa for so long earlier. Then she gazed at them for one long moment before turning and disappearing back into the white trolls' domain, from which angry troll voices could still be heard. _I will defend them. I will give Elsa and Anna a chance to get away from here, from the yucky trouble I took them to 'cause I did not know._

Anna knew the dragon was not coming back. _She knows she messed up and she's giving us a chance to get away from the area._ She scooped Elsa up again and stumbled a few yards further and then just collapsed. _Come on, me, I have to get us help. I saw people nearby but they can't see us here._

 _And when Elsa wakes up I'm going to ask her to ask Linnae what she was doing for all that time! Why on earth did she just pop out of nowhere like that?_

* * *

Anna was hoping Elsa would wake up the farther away they got from that horrible place behind them, but Elsa stayed limp and unresponsive in her arms. "Elsa, please. I'm so tired. I'm scared you won't wake up," Anna whispered. _A hospital. I need to get someone to take us to a hospital. Elsa's hurt, and I can't help her. The ice on her arm is gone and it's going to hurt her worse if I don't find her help. I'm hurt too, just not as bad. Right? All right. This is a good plan._ "I just need a good explanation for why we're dressed like this and how we got hurt in the first place," Anna muttered. The last thing they needed was for someone to figure out who they were or someone think they had somehow "brought" horrible creatures into this area, even though they hadn't. _People probably wouldn't believe us anyway..._

Anna gently laid Elsa down in the grass and dug through their supplies. That magical ice-dress Elsa was wearing would make them suspicious instantly. She sparkled and it was quite clear that dress wasn't made of ordinary fabric. At least she could claim her own outfit was some kind of fashion statement. Anna gently shook Elsa's shoulder, hoping for a response, but there was none. "Elsa, I'm gonna put this on you, all right," Anna said firmly. She wrestled the extra outfit she had brought onto Elsa and rolled up Elsa's ice-dress and put it in the bottom of one of the packs. Anna also wrapped another blanket strip around the gash on Elsa's good arm. _I really hope those horrid creatures didn't take too much blood from her. What if that's why she's not waking up?_

Elsa still didn't react.

Anna sighed. Next she undid her own messy braids and just let her hair be loose. Then she tried to give Elsa a little water from one of their canteens. She had to be thirsty after everything. To her relief, the older girl swallowed, and Anna gave her a bit more. _I can't try to give Elsa any of our food, I might make her choke. But at least I got some water into her._ Anna sat there in the grass for a few minutes longer, giving Elsa sips of water and waiting for her to swallow. "I'm gonna get us some help, Elsa. I promise," Anna assured her, not expecting a response now but talking anyway.

At least Elsa was her normal healthy cool temperature now, and she seemed at peace, too. This was somewhat reassuring.

Anna did not bother taking stock of where she herself was hurt or eating something herself; she was focused solely on finding help for Elsa. Nobody could replenish Elsa's powers-only a bit of time could do that-but everything else could be helped and Anna was going to get it. She put both packs on her back and picked Elsa up again. "If anyone can hear me, my sister is hurt! We need help!" she shouted, heading toward where she'd seen people before.

A few steps further and she shouted again, "We need help! Please help us!" Anna stubbornly kept going, clutching Elsa in her arms. _I will not give up. If no one hears us I'll find a hospital or something myself. I helped get Elsa out of there, I'm not giving up now. She has to be okay._ Anna wished Elsa would mind-message her again. At least then she would 'hear' Elsa's voice. _I must find help. There have to be people nearby. A nice one will help us._

* * *

A seemingly interminable but was probably only a few minutes' time later, Anna stumbled onto what looked like a path. She sat down again and gave Elsa a little more water. Anna instinctively shielded her sister when a shadow fell across them.

"Hey. You look like you need some help," said a voice right above them.

Anna looked up to see two people looking down at them that probably were very close to her and Elsa in age. She nodded. These people didn't seem dangerous, but she was determined to be careful. They might be like Hans for all she knew.

The male person seemed to be calling someone, and the girl knelt beside her looking concerned. "My name is Olive. Can you tell me what happened?"

"Me and my sister were, um, exploring. Off the path. And kind of fell," Anna said, thinking quickly. This wasn't totally untrue, and it would explain why both she and Elsa were all bruised and scraped up.

Olive gave her a funny look that clearly said _I don't believe that's the whole truth,_ but she didn't question it, either. "How long has your sister been unconscious?" _That girl is one of the mages I've been looking for. I know it._

"I don't know." That was the truth. Anna had absolutely no idea how much time had passed. "I'm scared she won't wake up!" she blurted suddenly. _I can't lose Elsa. What if she's hurt so bad she never wakes up? Or wakes up and can't remember anything?_

"We will take her to hospital. She will be all right," the young woman said, but Anna wasn't reassured. She couldn't know that. Anna just nodded and stayed uncharacteristically quiet for her, tired of trying to be the strong one for Elsa, tired of being away from home too, even though ordinarily she would like a trip.

Olive looked Anna right in the face. "Look, I don't know either of you, but your sister will be all right. She's one of the League of Seven mages I've been looking for...right? So she can't die now."

Anna instinctively held Elsa tighter, and Elsa gave a quiet sigh and settled in Anna's arms again, but didn't wake up. "I don't know what you mean," she hedged. _I don't know this person. I'm not telling her about Elsa's magic._

"Okay, don't admit it. I'll tell you more about me after we get you two some help," Olive offered.

Anna nodded. "Fine."

* * *

Hours later, Anna found herself sitting next to Elsa in a nice quiet hospital room. Elsa still hadn't woken up, but at least Anna had finally gotten them help. She was being taken care of and the people seemed nice and at least Elsa didn't seem distressed or upset anymore. She just looked like she was sleeping. _I still don't know how I'm going to get us home. And I'm still scared._ Anna put her head down on Elsa's bed and just cried, squeezing Elsa's cool hand tightly. Elsa's hand twitched, as if she were trying to squeeze Anna's, and Anna bolted upright. "...Elsa? I'm here, Elsa. Can you hear me?"

Elsa's pale face scrunched in pain, and she finally opened her eyes. _I...where am I? This is not my room. It's not Anna's either. And...and everything hurts. What's wrong with me?_ She glanced around the room, starting to feel panicked. Nothing seemed familiar, and...wait. There was Anna, and Anna was holding her hand. _Not safe, I-something else is wrong. My powers don't feel like it's hurting to hold them in. They feel achy because they are a little depleted. How do I know th-_

"Elsa, it's all right. You're safe now. I helped save you," Anna assured her. _Something is still not quite right. Elsa looks...scared. Not like she does recently either. More like...No. Please no. I knew she hit her head, but..._

Elsa struggled to pull her hand away from Anna's, and then her first words made Anna's heart drop to her toes. "Am I...dead?" she asked, her voice cracking. Maybe her reward was getting to see Anna again and her punishment was all this pain. She closed her eyes again; the light hurt, and she still felt like something was not quite right. Something missing, maybe, something good that made her magic feel better and actually...behave even though she was frightened and confused. Tears trickled down her cheeks, and she flinched when Anna squeezed her hand again. _I don't want to hurt you. Please just let me go. I want to disappear._

 _Elsa, something is missing. Your magic...your magic isn't making a mess. Figure out why. You're not dead or imagining things, don't be ridiculous._

Anna reluctantly released Elsa's hand and just gently stroked her hair instead. _It doesn't matter. If Elsa's mind is hurting again like years ago I'm going to fix it. She was okay before. She can be okay again. And I'm_ not _gonna scare her._ "No, Elsa. You got hurt and we're going to go home when you're better," Anna told her. She didn't add that she wasn't sure _how_ they were going to get home; they would worry about that later. "How old are you, Elsa?" Anna asked hesitantly, suddenly absolutely sure how the older girl would answer. She'd seen that expression before, and she did not want to see it again.

Elsa seemed puzzled at this, and she opened her eyes again. "Eighteen. I...I promised I wouldn't do...that again. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry," she whispered. _I don't understand though. What's wrong with me? I hurt all over. Did I jump out my window and I can't remember? And...and I_ don't _want to die. I want to live! I want to be at home with Anna!_

 _...What changed? Something is different. I feel like I have forgotten something important._

"But Elsa, you didn't attempt that again. That's _not_ how you got hurt," Anna said firmly. "Elsa. Elsa, please look at me," she added in a gentler tone when Elsa's blue eyes began drifting shut again.

Elsa looked up at Anna, her gaze clearly confused. _I didn't? Then what...what happened? And why aren't my powers making a huge mess? I'm scared._ Though Elsa couldn't remember things at the moment, her magic certainly did, and it was only making a few tiny snowflakes around its frightened owner. Elsa thought there should be some awful ice all over the wall or that it would be snowing hard around her. "My...my powers don't hurt. They just feel achy and...and depleted," she said without thinking, and then she abruptly tried to sit up. _Oh no. What have I done?!_ Intense pain flooded through her all over, and she collapsed on her back again in tears.

"Elsa, it's all right," Anna soothed the injured girl quickly. "Please, it's all right. I already know about your magic, okay? I know you're hurting a lot, but you don't have to be scared, I promise." _I have to say the right things. I don't wanna hurt her worse. I...I just want Elsa to be happy. Even if I can't heal her physically right now, I don't want her lying there terrified_ and _in pain._ She was rewarded with a shocked but direct look from Elsa. "Yup, that's right. You know how to control it, too. It's love. Love thaws. Easier if you're happy."

Elsa still felt awfully confused, but she relaxed slightly. Anna _had_ to be telling her the truth. She wouldn't have reacted so maturely and calmly if she wasn't. Anna was not the least bit surprised by hearing things about magic. Besides, that could explain why her magic wasn't hurting her from trying to hold it in or exploding all over, and why she felt like she couldn't remember something important. "One second, I'll be right back," she heard Anna say. _Okay. Something is horribly wrong with me and I think I've forgotten important things, things that probably made me happy. Right?_

 _I think Anna must have fixed me enough so I would want to live. She cares no matter what is wrong with me._

Elsa tensed again when she saw a stranger- _too close too close too close I have Anna here and she said I could control it but what if this person sees-_

"Your heart rate went way up on our monitors, so I came to check on you," the lady said in British-accented English.

Elsa thought this woman looked like Gerda, so the confusing statement didn't frighten her as much as it might have otherwise. Besides, there was Anna, and Anna was saying it was okay, her sister just woke up confused and scared but she was all right now, and could they give her something for pain? "N-no, no, I don't...don't want anything," Elsa managed to say, although right then she would have welcomed something that would just put her to sleep for awhile. Everything hurt, especially her head and left arm, and she wanted to sleep. _What if Anna's gone when I wake up though? I don't want her to go away._

 _I could be dreaming. What if this is a dream?_

 _No. That is not right, Elsa. This is real. You know that._

"Your sister won't be going anywhere. You need rest, and you cannot rest if you're in pain," the lady said firmly. "This will make it easier to sleep."

Elsa didn't answer. That lady was going to give her medicine and that meant she would be close, too close. She felt Anna's warm hand gently squeezing her cool one and a slight stinging sensation on her shoulder, and immediately her eyes drifted closed again. _That...that was all? Does that person know about what's wrong with me too?_ "Anna...Anna don' leave me...please..." she mumbled as the pain medicine began to kick in. The horrible sensations bombarding her began to ebb away, and Elsa was finally able to relax.

"Never, ever," Anna promised.

Elsa tried to focus on Anna, but she was quickly falling asleep. _It's okay, Elsa. Trust Anna. You can trust her. She won't leave._ The second it was clear Elsa was asleep a little while later, the English Gerda lookalike stared straight at Anna. "What?"

"Your sister has something...different about her that you've tried to hide. It is the same with the circumstances about how both of you were hurt. We might be able to help more easily if you are honest." She paused before adding, "Look at this X-ray of your sister's arm. I thought you might be able to explain this. Keep in mind this is before we did anything at all to try to stabilize or set it."

Anna frowned as she stared at the picture. There were the bones in Elsa's forearm, both clearly broken into multiple pieces, but there was also what Anna knew darn well was Elsa's magical ice, delicately linking the shattered pieces together and holding them in place, stabilizing the entire area until the fractures would heal naturally. Anna wondered if Elsa's magic could heal her weak leg enough that she could walk again-or run-without the brace on her leg, even though she knew that was nerve damage, not bones. Probably she could and didn't know how, and her magic wasn't at all concerned with healing it because it wasn't a threat to Elsa's health or otherwise hurting her. _Elsa can do that? That must be what she meant when she said her magic was helping..._ "Ummm..." Anna was not sure what to say to that.

"It looks as if a metal plate and screws has been put in or something. Yet it's clear neither of you had any emergency medical attention before coming here, and that is not an old break, either. It's fresh. And whatever did that to her arm to protect it did a very good job, too. Perfectly straight. That is obviously severe enough she would have ordinarily needed surgery to repair it."

Anna squirmed uncomfortably as the Gerda lookalike continued, "Furthermore, she had lost more than enough blood that a transfusion would have helped, and upon checking her blood type, she can't _have_ a blood transfusion because of the...blue sparks in her blood. She would have had a serious adverse reaction. Also, you have frostbite on your arm, and your sister's body temperature is low enough to qualify for hypothermia, yet she has no hypothermic symptoms whatsoever, aside from the low temperature itself. How did that happen when it's quite warm outside?"

"Please don't tell?" Anna blurted finally. She glanced at Elsa, now resting peacefully in a drugged sleep. _What would Elsa want me to do? Not frightened confused Elsa...the Elsa I went on this dumb trip with in the first place._ "I just don't want her hurt again," she said after a moment. "Um, sometimes when people find out they just want to use my sister for things or they're scared of her. And...and she can't remember recent things. She thought it was a few years ago..."

"No one is going to take her away from you or...or experiment on her or something. I promise. The memory loss is most likely temporary, too. With a sister like you, she will be fine, even if it doesn't go away with time."

 _Most likely? It might be permanent?_ Anna's eyes filled with tears. "I wanna take Elsa home," she whispered. "Please help me get my big sister home. Please." _I just said Elsa's name. That was dumb._

The kind woman thought for a moment and then asked curiously, "Is your name Anna?"

Anna nodded, and to her surprise, the lady just smiled at her and did not press further.

"We will leave Catharine and Nicoletta on your paperwork. You're safe here. And I shall assist you in returning home the second your sister is well enough to travel. How does that sound?"

"It sounds good. I, um, we will repay you after we get money from home," Anna said awkwardly. "We didn't...plan on making such a long trip. It was supposed to be camping and then...awful things happened." She hesitated before asking, "How long before Elsa's her normal self again?"

"Memory-wise? I am not sure. You'll just have to be patient with her," came the quiet honest reply. "While it seems like her...abilities might be causing her to feel a little tired right now, she will still need a lot of rest for a long time. I'm sorry."

 _Rapunzel! If I can get Elsa to Rapunzel, she can heal her. If most of Elsa's injuries weren't directly caused by those horrid trolls' magic, our cousin can make Elsa all better._ Anna was suddenly very relieved. Elsa would definitely be okay. She knew most of it, like her own hurts, was from falling and tumbling down rocks over and over, and for Elsa, from being dragged along as Anna tried to get them out of there. _I probably hurt her trying to help, but it was better than leaving her._ Elsa's magic would replenish itself in a few days at _most,_ probably a day or even a few hours, and the only other things the trolls had done was that awful gash and the broken arm. Even those things weren't _directly_ caused by troll magic, and they would stop causing her sister so much pain in a few days anyways, hopefully, even if they took a long time to heal properly. "I'll take good care of her so it'll take half as long to heal!" Anna exclaimed, feeling much better.

"I am sure you will, but you need to rest too."

Anna only hugged Elsa gently and answered, "I will. After I know that Elsa is happy again."

She didn't see the lopsided smile spread over Elsa's calm face.

* * *

Elsa woke several hours later, much calmer this time. Though it was now dark in the room, Elsa could see through the window that it was just nighttime, so this didn't disturb her. Already Elsa's magic felt much better and almost back to normal; it was just pleasantly cool inside her. _I know there is something wrong with me besides whatever made me hurt so much, something in my head, but Anna is here. She promised she wouldn't leave me._ That knowledge made happy tears fill her eyes. Whatever else was wrong with her besides her magic, Anna did not seem to care.

 _All she did was accept me. Why? I hurt her. Does she also know I hurt her? What else have I forgotten?_ Elsa felt a warm hand gently touching her shoulder, and an Anna-shaped shadow came into view.

"Shh, I know you're crying, Elsa," Anna said softly. "I'm here. And I won't leave. I'm sleeping on a cot right here next to your bed."

Elsa lay quiet for a minute. Then, "Anna? I don't want to die anymore," she told Anna, her voice soft but sure. "I just...wanted you to know." _But...maybe I deserve it. I did hurt Anna before and now she's awake trying to take care of me._

 _No. No I don't. It was an accident! I don't deserve to die. I want to live and know how to control my powers so I can have a normal life._ Something deep within Elsa stirred back to life, and she felt cool pulses of magic in her chest with each heartbeat. It didn't feel all sad and squashed and broken anymore inside, nor did it hurt to hold her ice inside. _My storm is calm. It...it likes me now. This is what magic is supposed to feel like. I can_ feel _warmth. I can_ feel _coolness flowing inside me. My powers feel happy._

"I know, Elsa. I'm proud of you. Do you remember what you made at home on the North Mountain?" Anna gently held Elsa's cool hand, and this time the ice mage didn't try to pull away. She just lay there calmly, her body relaxed now. _I wonder if Elsa's magic still 'behaving' for her helped her realize everything will be all right._ It was not lost on Anna that even though Elsa could not really remember the specifics of how to control her magic right now, there was _not_ ice exploding all over the place when she was frightened or upset. It was as if Elsa's powers could remember what Elsa's brain couldn't at the moment.

Elsa hesitated before replying. A wisp of a dream flitted across her mind. _My drawing I made of my dream building. Is it...is it possible? Have I actually been there and I can't remember? I feel like I've been there, and made something pretty, too._ "Not exactly, but...Anna, how old am I really? I...I'm not eighteen any more." Elsa asked. _I will believe whatever Anna tells me. I trust her. And if I'm just imagining all this, well...it's a nice dream. I don't mind that either. But this_ is _real. It's too vivid to be a dream._

Anna was not keen on telling Elsa she was missing four years' worth of memories, but there was no way she could lie, either. _I really hurt Elsa's feelings last time I did that. The truth it is._ "No...you turned twenty-two a few weeks ago." Anna felt Elsa's hand grow chilly, but she didn't react beyond that nor did she pull away. "But it's all right. I'll help you remember, I promise."

Elsa's first thought was that she would be useless at home if she could remember nothing of the last _four years._ And what good things had she forgotten? The last thing she could remember clearly was attempting suicide in her gilded prison of a frozen room and Gerda finding her, for goodness sakes. There were fuzzy blips after that, like thinking she might have created something pretty on the North Mountain now that Anna had mentioned it and going ice skating with Anna, but without Anna confirming anything, she would just assume they were dreams. And now here was Anna with her in some strange place knowing all about her magic and saying she knew how to control it. _I want to remember. There must be good things, even if there was more bad too, like whatever landed me here. I hurt all over._ "How am I supposed to do my work at home if I can't remember anything?" Elsa asked in a small voice. "I will be...useless."

"I'll help you 'til you can do it alone," Anna assured her. "You are _not_ useless! Please don't say that." Thoughts of the white trolls saying _she_ was useless still burned in her own memory. She would _not_ let Elsa tell herself that. _I'm not useless and neither is Elsa. So there._

"...Do you know that I...hurt you?" Elsa's next question clearly hurt her to ask; she sounded choked and worried to hear Anna's response. _What if Anna doesn't know? She might leave me all alone. I don't want to lose Anna..._

"Yes, and what of it? I don't care. Accidents are not your fault. You're just my big sister, and I love you just the way you are, magic and all." _Please let Elsa understand. I know she's hurting, but I don't want fear haunting her._ Anna wanted to just give her a hug, but she was worried she might hurt Elsa more doing that. "Elsa, we've been through a lot. You hurt me. I hurt you. Other people hurt us. But we're still here, and I would never, ever abandon you. Especially for an accident that wasn't your fault. You're my best friend. I can't make the physical pain go away, but I'm not going to just...leave you or hate you. Maybe I can help the inside hurts go away."

 _You already are._ Elsa struggled to sit up so she could hug Anna for the first time since she had woken up here. Though her body was still hurting a lot, inside she finally felt completely at peace. Whatever had happened to her, Anna _still_ accepted and loved her just the way she was. She didn't care about the broken parts of her; she just sat there and said _it's okay I accept you anyway._ Elsa could remember something else, simply from her magic: Anna had been keeping her safe somewhere that if Anna had _not_ been there, she would have probably died eventually. "Anna...was my magic trying to...defend me somehow? And you were protecting me?" Elsa questioned now as Anna gently helped her settle back on the pillows. _I'm not sure, but..._

"Yes! Yes, Elsa!" Anna exclaimed. _She remembers something!_ That was something recent too, so most likely if they gave it time, all of her other missing memory would come back too. "It's a long story, but yes."

"I have ice in my arm," Elsa said now, her voice suddenly filled with wonder. "It's broken and my powers are holding it together inside so it can heal properly. I can feel it." She didn't try to move the injured arm again, knowing it would just hurt more, but the idea that her magic could help _heal_ something instead of _hurt_ something made her incredibly happy. _Can I do that for other people if they are hurt or does it just work on me since it's mine?_

"Can you remember how you got hurt now?" Anna asked cautiously.

 _I think a rock crushed it. But I don't know and I don't care right now._ "Not really...I don't want you to tell me about that, though. I want to be distracted and hear about the _good_ things I can't remember right now. Please?" Elsa's voice was quiet but hopeful now. _I know I will have to remember sometime soon, but right now...I just want happy things. I never thought I could be happy again, and now I am._ Despite the physical pain, Anna being right there and being so nice to her made Elsa's heart jump for joy. That combined with her magic genuinely feeling at home inside her was like a dream come true. _I wouldn't mind if things could just stay like this forever._ "I...I feel like I'm dreaming still. I know this is real, but I can't help thinking, I don't want to wake up," she admitted softly.

Anna's stomach clenched. _Elsa's in awful pain and she says she feels like she's dreaming and doesn't want to wake up. That's horrible! ...But she seems happy now. That's a good thing._ "You made a lovely ice palace on the North Mountain last year, and you like taking me up there to visit it," Anna told her. Some dark part of Anna wondered if it would be better if Elsa _didn't_ remember everything and she could just fill Elsa's mind with the good things. Maybe Elsa would be happier if she didn't remember the bad things. _That's not really fair to Elsa though...they are her memories. She does have a right to know..._

Elsa seemed to consider this for a moment. Then she said, "I ran away to hide there and you came to find me." _There's no other reason I would have gone up there. I have always wanted to escape there._

"...yes," Anna said truthfully.

"Is that how you found out about...my powers?" Elsa completely believed that she could create an entire building from ice...and that it would be easy for her to do, too. She could feel it in her bones.

"Um, sort of..."

Elsa thought a bit more. Anna said she was twenty-two, and that she had made this ice palace last year. That would make her twenty-one then. _The coronation. I made a horrible power mistake and ran away._ "I ruined Coronation Day," she said flatly, sure that she was right. _Wait. I had a pretty teal dress. I remember that. Gerda made it for me. And I think..._ "I made a sparkly blue dress to replace my teal one I had. I felt pretty in it, and I was happy you liked the building I made."

Anna was smiling now. "That's right. You looked a lot different than when you left the coronation party, but it was a good different. You looked more like...you." _Telling Elsa things helps her remember! This is great. I like talking to Elsa anyways, so that won't be hard._

 _"Wow, Elsa, you look different! It's a good different...and this place...it's amazing."_

 _Wait. After that._

 _"You kind of set off an eternal winter...everywhere."_

 _"But that's okay, you can just unfreeze it!"_

 _I hurt her again. I panicked and I hurt her again._ Elsa pulled her hand away from Anna. "I hit you again. I tried so hard to keep the storm inside and it exploded anyway," Elsa said softly. "You had some strange man with you. But that one was nice. Not like that horrible slimy one. And...and I'm so tired." _I don't want Anna to leave, but she probably should._

 _Your magic isn't hurting any more. It's not going to harm Anna again._

 _I do not understand how my powers work. How can I control what I don't understand?_

"Yeah, but I'm fine now. Please don't be sad or feel guilty anymore. It wasn't your fault at all, anyway." Anna yawned and reached for her sister's hand again. "We can go back to sleep and talk some more tomorrow."

"Okay." Somewhere deep inside Elsa knew she must try to rest so that they could get home. She _needed_ to solve the mysteries about her magic so that she would never ever even _risk_ harming her precious little sister again. Suddenly struck by something, she tugged Anna's arm. "Have you married that strange nice man yet? I know that you love him." Elsa's voice sounded exactly like Anna hoped she would sound about Kristoff-curious and clearly approving. _Even if I can't remember anything else about him..._

Anna laughed. "No. You let me get engaged to him though. His name is Kristoff."

Elsa considered this, and then she announced, "He can't be in your room, Anna." A moment's pause. "Well, I suppose he has to. I trust you."

"Thank you ever so much, Queen Elsa," Anna teased. Nothing could make her more assured that her sister would be fine more than Elsa using her bossy voice about Kristoff, _especially_ considering she was badly hurt and she still sounded like her normal self. She grinned.

"Stinker." Elsa was clearly not one bit sorry for her comment.

Anna quickly fell back asleep once she was sure Elsa was happy. Elsa just lay there in the dark looking out the window until the need to sleep overtook the pain. _I have Anna here with me. I'll be fine._

* * *

CORONA

"Hey, Mom? Dad? I know it's late but I needed to talk to you," Rapunzel said, peeking into her parents' room. Primrose was sitting in bed reading and her father Thomas was just closing the big curtains on the windows for the night. "It's important."

"Of course. Come on in," Primrose replied instantly.

Rapunzel came in and shut the door behind her. "Two things. This morning I was looking for a new book to read in the castle library, and I decided to look on one of the shelves wayyyyy up in the corner. There's some weird magical book in there with runes on the spine. I couldn't read them, so I thought I'd pull it out to flip through it..."

"And...?" Both her parents looked a little confused but not particularly surprised or anything.

"And it wouldn't come out. I pulled and pulled, and it wouldn't come out." Rapunzel frowned. "Now I'm really curious what it's about! I was hoping you'd know."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know there was any such thing there, honey. Did you, Thomas?"

Thomas shook his head. "But write down the runes. You can ask your aunt and uncle to translate them when they arrive tomorrow. I'm sure they'll know how."

Rapunzel sighed deeply. "I like Aunt Idun, But Uncle Agdar is a big ol' grump!" she exclaimed uncharitably, but she did not care because she thought this was true. "And I don't like that he doesn't like Elsa's magic. He's been really mean to her." _I don't understand. I was locked away because someone_ wanted _my magic, and Elsa was locked away because someone_ didn't _want hers._

"Rapunzel, that's not very nice," Thomas scolded, but he didn't press further. "I certainly won't excuse his behavior toward her-it's just inexcusable-but I can understand not liking Elsa's magic, as awful as that sounds."

"Dad!"

Thomas looked solemnly at his daughter. "Elsa is a sweet girl, but she _does_ possess something very powerful and potentially dangerous, Rapunzel. Do you realize she could kill people remotely without even being present? That she can create independent _life_? It would be disturbing if Elsa wasn't the person we know." He hesitated before adding, "I do not think Elsa really understands what she has. Having power like that and barely knowing the basics of how it functions is bad. And because Elsa grew up the way she did, she is satisfied with knowing she can just live day to day without hurting those she loves." _I've thought this over a lot. Elsa needs to somehow learn more about her powers and master them._

"Elsa's ice dragon. Linnae," Rapunzel said quietly. "That's the other thing I wanted to tell you and Mom." She fiddled with the ribbon headband in her hair. "She, like, mind-messaged me? A few minutes ago. She said I needed to convince Elsa to kill her and do not let Elsa bring her back until she's an ice master. It kinda scared me because Linnae, like, _sounded_ scared..."

"Did she say why?" Primrose asked gently.

"Yes. She said 'the creatures in Dover are too powerful. They want to eat me!' Linnae wants Elsa to kill her first because she's frightened she will be used to attack humans she cares about." Rapunzel shuddered. _It was freaky._ "The last thing she told me was that her magical tie to Elsa wasn't powerful enough to force her to only be influenced by Elsa's magic."

"Did she say anything else? Anything at all?" Thomas questioned.

"That she couldn't contact Elsa right now because Elsa's badly hurt and it would scare her too much." Rapunzel figured her own healing ability was probably part of the reason the dragon had chosen to message her. If she could _find_ her cousins, probably she could heal them.

Just then, Kristoff and Olaf suddenly appeared in the room, and Rapunzel yelped. "Heyyy! How did you get here?"

"Power crystals from the trolls. I need your help to get Anna and Elsa back. Please."

 **A/N: Welp, Anna and Elsa are safe for now, but they need to figure out how to get home. Also just so everyone knows, I did have an actual reason for Elsa's temporary memory loss/confusion beyond The Feels and Drama Factor, which should be more obvious next chapter:)**

 **Olive is named after my fanfic friend Olivia O'Neil, thank you for helping!:) Credit to her for telling me about the train in Dover.**

 **Finally, I am soooo excited for Frozen II! I will say I am not taking it remotely into account here in this story, lol...I don't know enough about it yet and I know it may disprove most/all of the lore I've established in my fanfic storyverse. Which is perfectly fine, but I'm not going to change "my" Frozen-verse now after four years, lol. Probably after I get to see it in November I'll include things from it, but not now.:) Who knows, maybe it'll totally fit and that ridiculous Grand Pabbie troll has just conveniently not addressed those things thus far, haha.**

 **Next chapter coming soon**

 **This is MantaI-305Apollo'sChariot signing off for now, over and out!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who's followed/favorited and/or is reading but not reviewing!:)**

 **I replied to your reviews except for the guest that said "Tell me this isn't Disney's Frozen all over again" And to that person...why are you reading Frozen fanfic if you don't like Frozen? Lol**

 **On to the story!**

DOVER

In the morning, Anna woke up uncharacteristically early. She still didn't feel all that great herself, but getting Elsa out of that horrible white troll lair was such a relief that she didn't care. "I just gotta help Elsa get her memories back," she muttered to herself.

Elsa was asleep, but she seemed restless, and she had a slight frown on her sleeping face.

Anna wondered if Elsa wasn't sleeping well because she was hurting, or if her mind was trying to fix muddled missing memories as she slept. _Probably both._ She nibbled a slightly bruised apple from one of the packs and just held her sister's hand tightly.

Elsa woke up a few minutes later and turned toward Anna, blinking confusedly at her little sister. _I hurt myself and I'm somewhere strange, but Anna is here. I'm not eighteen, I'm twenty-two. I can control my magic now, and I made an ice palace on the North Mountain._

 _I also hurt Anna again there and froze Arendelle, but I thawed it because Anna helped me. We went ice skating in the courtyard after, and the people were happy. I was nervous they wouldn't accept me but then everything was okay._ Elsa still could not remember everything clearly, but things made more sense to her now than they had last night. She closed her eyes again and let her head relax, satisfied with the knowledge that Anna was still there.

"...Elsa? Are you all right?" Anna asked, clearly concerned.

Elsa immediately turned her head back toward her and gave Anna a, _seriously why would you ask that?_ look and a small smile. "I am not scared, anyway," she said honestly. She did not feel well at all, but she also felt happy and safe because Anna was there.

Elsa's expression was very reassuring to Anna; that teasing face was something she had seen Elsa do recently, and she said she wasn't scared, too. That was good. Very good. "Sorry, bad question. I'm glad you aren't scared, Elsa. I don't want you hurting, either, but I'm so glad you're not scared," Anna told her. _Elsa seems a lot more alert than before. Maybe she feels a little bit better._

Elsa was looking curiously around the room now, her gaze clearly much more focused than the night before. _I think I want to just go home now. I could sleep in my room and I could let Anna in it now. I don't hate my own room if I can...not be lonely in it. I_ like _my room if Anna can be in it with me._

"I'm gonna organize the supplies we have left," Anna said now, deciding to just let Elsa just look about as she pleased in the meantime.

"Okay," Elsa said agreeably, although she still wasn't completely sure why they had 'supplies' in the first place. All she knew for sure was they had unintentionally gone on some adventure and it had turned out badly. "Anna...what is that?"

"What's what?" Anna looked up from the knife she had taken-technically stolen-from the trolls in the fuss to get out, to see Elsa staring at the IV in her hand. _Oh good. She's not asking why I've got the troll knife._ "Oh. It gives you pain medicine. I had one too but they took it out after a bit since I wasn't hurt as bad...hey, don't just yank it out!" She grabbed Elsa's hand just in time.

"I don't like it. It itches and I would like to go home now, please." _I have been to a place like this before. There was a little girl named Katie there..._ Elsa felt like her mind was growing less muddled, and certain things were beginning to make more sense to her, too.

Anna grinned at this. _Elsa sounds a lot more like her usual self now. That's great._ "I think the people here at this hospital can take care of you better than we can at home. I don't want to leave until I'm _positive_ you'll be all right," she said firmly. "I did try my best to protect you, but you still got hurt, and it scares me. I'm not going to risk moving you when you're hurt really bad and I know we're safe here."

"...Could I have something to eat? I'm so hungry." Elsa's pale cheeks turned pink as her tummy growled. _I can't remember the last time I ate. Well, that doesn't mean anything...I don't remember a lot of things right now, but I am hungry._

"Ummm. I shall find out. Be right back!" Anna hopped up and ran out of the room.

Elsa tensed when Anna disappeared from view, but she decided to just trust that Anna would come back.

* * *

Anna returned a few minutes later to find Elsa sitting on the edge of her bed eating the other apple that had been left in their supplies, and she shook her head. "You should've waited! I brought you a bagel and some milk," she scolded. What if Elsa had hurt herself more, or fallen trying to get up?

"I was hungry," came Elsa's unapologetic response. "I really do feel better. Let's book passage on a ship and go home." _I can sleep in a cabin as well as I can here._

"Never mind that. The girl that found us and helped came to visit you. Her name is Olive. Isn't that cool?" Anna gave Elsa the bagel and set the milk on the small bedside table. "She's like you, too."

 _This girl is another human with powers like mine? How did Anna find her? Wait, I already know someone with magic. Her name is Emily._ Elsa looked at this new person curiously.

"Your magic is how I found you. I could feel it," Olive said matter-of-factly. Delicate tendrils of vines spread around the edge of the window frame, and Anna shut the door and leaned against it so they couldn't be interrupted easily. "I left my realm to find the other members of this generation's League of Seven, and I've finally found one, maybe two. I know who both of you are. You're royalty from the-in my world, legendary-kingdom of Arendelle."

"...What is the League of Seven?" That was not something Elsa could remember at the moment, and she had a feeling she didn't want to know.

"I'm sorry, I forgot that you forgot some things. Your sister told me what happened." Olive brushed long brown hair out of her eyes and smiled. "In _my_ home, there is an old legendary prophecy, but everyone knows it is not a prophecy in the traditional sense because every potential member has a choice. All seven must choose or the mission fails." She quoted the same poem that Anna and Elsa had back home in Arendelle.

"...But I don't even understand how my magic works. How could I possibly be part of something like that?" Elsa looked away and just closed her eyes. _You wanted a real purpose for existing and having those powers, Elsa. Maybe this is it._ "Obviously I am useless in a fight, anyway."

"That's not true. You and your sister survived an encounter with the white trolls and escaped to tell the tale. Nobody has done that."

 _I can't remember. More trolls? I don't like the ones at home and they are relatively nice. They scare me._ Elsa glanced at Olive, her gaze sharp. "I can't tell you the tale. I don't remember. I don't think I _want_ to remember. I just want to go home and live a normal life."

Olive looked sympathetic at this, but she would be honest. "You can't live a 'normal' life. You're a magical monarch..."

Anna gave Elsa a gentle hug. "But, we can be happy anyways, okay?" _Maybe in the future we can just live peacefully at home, but right now I see more adventures in the near future._

Elsa sort of drooped against Anna, her body betraying her desire to stay up any longer. _I'm so tired, and I've done nothing but get up to get an apple. How am I supposed to be part of some League of Seven thing? And what_ _must Olive think of me? I'm a mess._ She felt far too exposed here like this, even if Olive meant well. Elsa's magic stirred uneasily inside her, as if waiting to protect its injured owner.

... _my powers aren't hurt,_ Elsa realized with a start. Even if someone _did_ try to hurt her and Anna right now, she would not be totally helpless. She could defend them still, just not as well as she could normally. ... _Why am I thinking that? I don't want to hurt anyone with my magic._

 _You do if they are after Anna. Or you._

Elsa closed her eyes and balled her good hand into a fist. Ice flowed to her fingertips immediately, ready to unleash if necessary. Suddenly she became aware of Anna talking to her.

"-sure you get that, Elsa?" Anna was asking, breaking into her mental monologue.

Elsa instinctively shook her head and then put her hand to her forehead. That _hurt._ "I'm sorry. I was thinking..."

Anna laid her back down on the pillows with a frown. "Are you okay? Do you need anything?" she questioned. _I don't think she heard anything we just said._

"I'm fine. I told you, I was just thinking," Elsa repeated. She did not feel any worse than before; if anything she felt a little better now since she was lying down again. "I'm listening now."

"Don't scare me like that! I was worried you passed out or something!"

"She might if she stays up right now," Olive muttered, and then yelped when Elsa threw a powdery snowball at her and it nailed her right in the face.

Anna laughed. _Okay, Elsa is definitely all right._ "I was just saying that Olive thinks she can help us get home, but we'll have to sneak you out. Do you think you can do that and not be scared?"

 _No. I don't trust Olive and I don't know where we are, really,_ Elsa thought, but out loud she only said, "I'll be fine." Anna was there; she would be okay.

"I don't wanna hurt you though..." Anna still didn't want to move Elsa right now, especially after seeing her tired just from sitting up eating apple and then clearly in pain from shaking her head. If she moved Elsa now, she would end up causing her more pain. But if Olive was right, those creatures might want to come after them if at all possible, and there was no way of knowing whether they could or not.

"I trust you." That was one thing Elsa felt confident about. Anna would not hurt her. Of that she was certain. _I'll just sleep if I can, and if Anna wants me to do something, I will do my best._

* * *

Despite using the few power crystals they had borrowed from the rock trolls, Rapunzel, Kristoff, and Olaf were now trapped somewhere in the Atlantic, useful crystals for traveling completely depleted. They sat on a small ice floe made with the ice power crystal and just waited for the crystals to recharge. "It's going to storm," Olaf announced, trying to be helpful. Already it was raining.

"I wish I could have just healed Elsa and Anna from home," Rapunzel muttered. "This stinks!"

"Elsa is calm now. She feels a little worried, but she's mostly okay," Olaf said. "And Anna is this way!" He pointed with his little twig hand as the skies broke loose and it began to pour.

Wind had already been whipping the water into large waves, and Kristoff realized their perch was starting to crack. "Um, guys? We have a problem..."

Before any of them could do a thing, a huge wave crashed over them and broke the ice to pieces, dumping them into the water. Rapunzel yelped, and Olaf shouted that his pieces were floating away. Kristoff fumbled to secure the power crystals before they were lost. Pabbie would be extremely angry if he lost those.

Thunder boomed overhead, and another wave broke over them. "We need to save Olaf!" Rapunzel shouted, sputtering. She knew how to swim, but she had never ever been swimming in such awful conditions.

"Help me stuff him in this backpack!" Kristoff dumped out the ruined food and shoved Olaf's feet and head in.

"There are two more pieces of me out there," said Olaf helpfully, his voice muffled in the bag.

Rapunzel snatched one of the pieces just as the biggest wave yet crashed over them, tumbling them over and spinning them around underwater. _Which way is up? I'm so far underwater..._ Disoriented and confused, the last thing Rapunzel remembered was a fishy-looking thing grabbing her arm and dragging her off somewhere.

* * *

Rapunzel woke up on a pebbly beach with Kristoff dumping the Olaf pieces out of the wet backpack, ignoring the people staring at them. _Oh no. "_ Put Olaf away," she hissed.

But it was too late. "Hi I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!" Olaf said happily when two little kids ran over to him.

Rapunzel facepalmed, but the beach-going families seemed to think they were putting on a show. She liked acting, so she decided to go along with it and whispered to Kristoff to do the same. He did not look very thrilled by this. "Welcome to the seaside improv show!" she exclaimed, gesturing at Kristoff.

Kristoff waved awkwardly, and the children laughed and asked him where Anna was. "She's, um, not here today," he said.

Olaf looked at Kristoff, puzzled. "Yes she is! She's that way!" Olaf took off running on his stubby feet with the children running after him. The parents quickly caught them but didn't look disturbed.

"We will come back another time, all right?" Rapunzel offered. "There's something important we need to do."

The children looked disappointed but nodded.

Kristoff and Rapunzel followed Olaf reluctantly. People were clearly staring, and Kristoff was very uncomfortable. "Olaf, are you sure?"

"Yes! Anna is very close!" Olaf ran across a street, heedless of cars, set on finding Anna and Elsa. He headed into a hotel parking lot and waddled about looking around. "Here. She's here," Olaf announced, pointing at a black van.

"I don't see her," Rapunzel said worriedly. "Are you _sure,_ Olaf?" _This must be Dover. No wonder Elsa got hurt. If the white trolls are inside those pretty cliffs..._

"Yes!" Olaf said again. He hopped around the van, trying to see inside. _Elsa and Anna must be in there!_

Kristoff was about to think Olaf was just being crazy, but then Anna jumped out. She looked bruised and scraped up, but she was alive and seemed otherwise okay. "You're safe," he said, hugging Anna tightly. _Thank goodness. This wasn't a pointless mission._

Anna grinned and kissed him. "Yup! I'm so happy to see you guys! We met a girl named Olive, and she's going to help us get home. We're just waiting for it to get dark so we can get Elsa out of here with nobody seeing her," she explained. Anna's happy expression faded. "Elsa's hurt."

"We know. Linnae messaged me, saying Elsa was badly hurt and telling me to tell Elsa to...kill Linnae," Rapunzel said quietly.

"But she helped us escape. She might be dead already," Anna pointed out. _She is made of Elsa's impenetrable ice though...Elsa might be the only thing that_ can... _kill her._

"I don't think so. Linnae seemed to think there would be trouble if those white trolls, um, ate her. We've got to get Elsa well enough that she can clarify what Linnae could have meant and let her know she needs to either get her dragon back or, as awful as it sounds, get rid of her," Rapunzel answered.

Inside the van, Elsa lay across the backseat mostly asleep. Anna hadn't trusted a still-slightly-confused Elsa to not panic seeing all of the unfamiliar surroundings, so she'd made sure that nice Gerda-like woman at the hospital had given Elsa another dose of that pain medicine that had been strong enough to make her drowsy and fall asleep again. Besides she didn't want to cause Elsa unnecessary pain trying to move her. If Elsa was sleeping, she wouldn't be hurting. "Elsa...?" Olaf asked now.

 _That voice. I know...that voice..._ Elsa opened her eyes halfway. The little snowman was patting her hand. A vague memory of actually _making_ Olaf flitted through her mind. Her eyes drooped shut again. Anna had assured her she wouldn't leave, so if she was imagining cute Olaf, that was all right.

Elsa's eyes flew open again when she felt the sensation of unfamiliar magic flowing through her head. Her own ice stirred about uneasily and iced the seat beneath her before recognizing Rapunzel's magic as related to her own and harmless. The ice retreated. Elsa relaxed as Anna pulled her to a sitting position and let her rest on her shoulder. _I...I don't hurt so much any more. This is nice..._

 _Rapunzel. That is my cousin!_ Elsa felt her magic still flowing through her comfortably, and she closed her eyes. _I...I can remember better now..._

Anna yelped when Elsa just went limp in her arms _again._ "Punzie, what's wrong with her?! She just went all limp again! It scares me!" _I just want Elsa to be back to her normal self again! I thought Rapunzel could heal her._

"She's okay, Anna, I promise," Rapunzel answered, smiling. "It's just her memories settling back in her...memories like they should be. I can feel that Elsa isn't hurt anymore. It was like Elsa's memories were still in her mind obviously, but she couldn't access them because they weren't in the right places. Or something like that. Besides, I can't, like, make whatever medicine you guys gave her go away. Elsa will probably be sleepy a bit longer anyway, but she'll be fine."

Anna was satisfied by this, but she still clutched Elsa protectively in her arms. "What about her arm and that awful gash? Are they healed too? 'Cause those _were_ directly from the trolls, just not...troll magic per se, if that makes sense. The other stuff was from falling and stuff."

"Well let's just look at that cut first. Because I _think_ Elsa is okay now, but I'm honestly not sure. It's kind of muddled if I try to sense it," Rapunzel explained.

They looked; there was an obvious scar where the gash had been, but it was clearly at least mostly healed. Elsa sighed contentedly and didn't really react; her mind was satisfied that Anna was there keeping her safe. "I guess that means anything the white trolls caused directly but without their magic I can _mostly_ take care of," Rapunzel decided. "Let me heal you too, Anna."

 _"_ Okay. Thank you." _Well, that will have to be good enough. I know that won't bother Elsa since she didn't do it to herself._ Anna nodded. "We need to get out of here soon, don't we? Because of those nasty creatures?"

"We need to wait for nightfall," Olive called from the front seat. "We'll leave via the beach across the street, like I said. My parents will help get you home."

"Who's that?" Kristoff asked suspiciously.

"She's a chlorokinetic. She controls plants, and her name is Olive," Anna told him.

Olive frowned in the front seat, not trusting this strange man just yet. She tugged her skirt a bit further over her legs. "You trust this man, Anna?"

"Yup he's my fiancée," Anna replied. "He's used to magic. Just tell him what you told me, okay? He'll think it's cool."

Rapunzel was studying a seemingly waterproof piece of paper she had pulled out of the bag Olaf had been in. Now she looked up at Olive. "Are you a mermaid?" she asked finally. _This note...I was wondering how Kristoff and Olaf and I made it to that beach. Mermaids rescued us._

Olive jerked in her seat, clearly surprised. "Yes," she said uncomfortably. "My people asked me if I would search for the rest of the League of Seven. I came here because it was close to the cliffs and I knew others must come to this area eventually. I have a normal human life here now, but that's not my mission." Olive climbed into the back of the van with the others.

"But you have legs," Rapunzel pointed out, confused.

Now Olive looked amused, and Anna thought her expression reminded her of Elsa in that moment. "Legs with scales and webbed toes," Olive corrected. "A few others in my country can transform like this as well, but I'm the only one with actual magic. People that can transform but don't have powers always carry a gene for it. Those that don't _might_ , but it's far less likely. That's why my parents kind of freaked when they had me. Neither of them can transform, but my mom's sister can, and my dad's dad."

Elsa had woken up mostly and was just watching Olive curiously, safe in her spot next to Anna, listening. _I feel so much better and not so...jumbled up inside. And...that Grand Pabbie said there were mermaids. Olive is one of them._ "Did they ever...lock you away?" she asked quietly.

Anna was surprised to hear Elsa speak, but she just gave her a very relieved hug and didn't say anything. _She woke up! Elsa's going to be all right. Thank goodness._

Olive twirled a bit of hair around her finger and looked away. "Only once. After I was playing and accidentally yanked a heavy boulder on another mer-kid with some kelp. They realized it was bad and not helping." Then she smiled. "My twin brother helped. We were really little, so he would swim outside our home and squeeze through the tiny window in my room."

Elsa thought this sounded all too close to home for her, despite knowing that Olive and her brother had fish tails and lived underwater. "And what did your parents do when they found out?"

"Oh, it took a few months for them to catch on. They just barged in one day and realized I was _happy_ even though I wouldn't touch my brother _._ After that I was not allowed to play with my magic with him, but everything went back to normal. I was forced to experiment in this training cave so I could learn about my powers. I _hated_ that. It was like three whole hours every day! But otherwise it was great. I know my family loves me even if the plants aren't their favorite thing." Olive shrugged. "And I'm _still_ not a master, because there are only so many things you can learn underwater, and I know there are a _lot_ of techniques useful underwater that won't be on dry land and vice versa. What a waste. I've tried to practice on land, but I can't very well practice larger scale things in a modern city. How about you?"

Elsa frowned. "My childhood...wasn't nice like that," she said finally. Hearing Olive say her parents did not care for her magic all that much but accepted and loved her-and let her have a childhood with her sibling-made Elsa a little jealous and upset. _Why couldn't mine do the same? I don't understand..._

"...Oh. I'm sorry." Olive did genuinely look apologetic, and Elsa knew it was not Olive's fault anyway, so she just smiled and nodded. Besides, the muddled memories of _not_ remembering things was still fresh in Elsa's mind. Elsa felt as if she were looking at her life through new eyes. Anna had _still_ been right there with her all the time, allowing her to genuinely be at peace and not panic. She had not ignored Elsa's irrational fears.

She had not left Elsa alone in that hospital even knowing it was a safe place.

She had not gotten frustrated or angry when Elsa couldn't remember important things that had happened.

She had not been disappointed with Elsa when she couldn't get them out of that awful place even though Elsa was the one with the magical ice powers.

She had not made her feel like she wasn't good enough for any reason whatsoever.

And she had not left Elsa behind in those horrible white troll caverns, even though she had outright _told_ Anna to do that if they became trapped there.

With a sister like that, who needed anyone else, and why should she mull the past over so much if she could remotely help it? _I do not need_ anyone _else to accept me. As long as I have Anna with me, I will be fine, and I'll be happy, too. So there. And I'm allowed to still be hurt about the past, but I'm not letting myself mull it over constantly if I can help it._ Elsa thought maybe it was a good thing that had happened to her. She had no clear memories of anything that had happened in the white trolls' domain after her magic made her collapse and sort of pass out, and she knew she would not have any, either, since Rapunzel had healed her. Only an odd sense of peace in the face of danger remained clear in her mind. The rest was a blur.

Elsa's musings abruptly ceased a moment later as she sensed something very wrong nearby. She sat up straight and looked the others right in the eyes. "We need to get out of here. Immediately. Those creatures sense us here, and if we don't get out of the area fast, they're going to come after us," she said urgently. Elsa glanced down at her left arm and gingerly flexed her fingers and then her wrist. It seemed a little sore and weak, but she could move it easily again. _It's like I can feel it somehow. I can sense the trolls are about to move closer to us._

"Does it still hurt?" Anna asked, frowning.

"No, not exactly. I can use it if I need to. If we get away from here it will just be a bit sore." Elsa shuddered. "It's like that creature crushing my arm like that has made me able to predict what they are doing to some vague extent. It feels...weird and achy." _I hate it. I don't want any connection to those...things._ She could still feel her own magical ice inside, protecting the injured area.

Anna studied her sister's arm closely. It looked normal to her, but she was still worried it was hurting Elsa somehow. "I saw a funny X-ray picture of your arm, Elsa. You could see the inside bones and your powers were like...holding all the pieces together with ice..."

Elsa nodded. "I can still feel the ice inside. I can't heal myself, really, but I guess that was the best my magic could do to try to help." She sounded almost apologetic, and Anna scowled.

"Don't sound sorry! That lady at the hospital said if you _hadn't_ done that, you would have needed surgery to fix it! There were so many little _pieces,_ Elsa!" Anna was still very upset she hadn't been able to keep that from happening to Elsa in the first place. She calmed down as Elsa held out her signature snowflake floating over her hand.

"Anna, using my magic doesn't hurt, see? I might not be able to do large-scale things with it just yet, but I'm okay," Elsa assured her worried sibling. "Thank you very much, Rapunzel." She suddenly sat up straight, her blue eyes startled. "Linnae. Linnae is still in there," she whispered, horrified. "She wants me to...kill her."

Rapunzel and Anna looked at each other, and Rapunzel gave a quick rundown of what the dragon had told her. But Elsa was no longer listening; she had climbed out of the van and was gazing toward the beautiful but dangerous cliffs. "I need to get my dragon back," Elsa said finally.

Olive pushed her against the side of the van, not roughly, and stared her right in the face. "You made a _dragon_?!" _This girl is definitely way more powerful than she realizes..._

"...yes. Her name is Linnae. Get off me. Now."

Olive stepped away, but she just continued staring. "I don't think going back in there is a good idea. You've got enough raw power to, but obviously you don't know how to use all of it," she said hesitantly, worried she might offend the ice mage. "If you did, your dragon would be here with us now or returned to your home. It should be linked to you and know that."

"I don't want to control her like that. It seems cruel to not let her be independent." Elsa wasn't sure she knew _how_ to do that even if she wanted to. She had created Linnae under duress during the Jade incident, and she wasn't sure exactly how she had done it beyond thinking _live creation to guard my friends because I can't._

 _"_ I don't mean control it like that. Just be linked to you so it won't be influenced by bad people, or trolls as the case may be..."

Rapunzel leaned out the window. "That's the problem, Elsa. Linnae told me her magic link to you wasn't strong enough. She's worried she'll be used to attack humans she cares about if you don't get rid of her. She said you could bring her back once you're an ice master."

Olive looked disturbed now. _Elsa made a dangerous life construct and has no idea how to handle it._ "What's Linnae made of?"

"My impenetrable ice. I made her to protect my friends." Elsa glanced down at herself. _I need armor. I am not killing Linnae, so I need to figure out how to get her back._ She climbed back in the van and began carefully making armor pieces over the black dress Olive had given her. In less than thirty seconds she looked like some icy warrior of legend...albeit a sparkly girly one.

Anna grabbed Elsa by the hand before she could get out and expose their identity to anyone in the vicinity. "No. You're _not_ going back. I barely got us out last time, with Linnae's help. That armor is not enough. It'll save you from those horrid creatures crushing your arm again or something, but it's not going to protect you from them trying to deplete your magic. You'll pass out again and be unable to get out." She did not let go until Elsa sat back looking frustrated.

 _What am I supposed to do? Won't I hurt Linnae if I dissolve..._ kill... _her?_ Elsa knew going back was a horrible idea, but she couldn't bring herself to get rid of her dragon, either. Linnae's catlike antics and her innocently protective personality had quite endeared her to Elsa, and she wanted to save her 'animal' friend.

"What if Elsa tries ordering Linnae to come back?" Rapunzel suggested.

Kristoff shook his head. "Even if it works, Linnae is still dangerous. If what Linnae told Rapunzel is true, she wasn't...made properly in the first place. Elsa can't fix that now. She made Linnae on instinct to protect us and didn't really know what she was doing beyond that. Which is great, but not enough. Linnae is defective in the sense that she's not linked strongly enough magically to Elsa to prevent her from being influenced by outside magic..." Time with the rock trolls meant Kristoff was _very_ sure he was correct on that.

There was dead silence for a moment, and then Elsa just dispelled her ice armor and slid out of the van again. "I need to go for a walk," she said softly.

* * *

Anna started to go after her, but then sat back on her heels for a minute. _Elsa won't leave without telling us. I don't think... Anyways I can still see her._ "Kristoff, you hurt her feelings. You _know_ Elsa's live creations are sort of representations of some aspect of Elsa's personality. You called Linnae defective and that she wasn't made properly," she scolded, clearly upset.

"I just meant magically since she hasn't mastered her powers yet," Kristoff protested. "Elsa's personality is fine. She's just a bossy but friendly and shy older sister."

"That's the problem! Elsa used to call _herself_ those things! You hurt her." Anna pushed past him and ran after Elsa. "Elsa!"

Elsa turned and waited for Anna to catch up. "I just needed a walk. I'm not going anywhere, I promise," she assured Anna.

Anna just hugged her. "Okay. Is this an Elsa-needs-alone-time thing or can I come with you?"

Elsa's slightly hurt expression melted to a smile at that. _Anna understands perfectly. "_ You can come. I just don't really want to talk right now," she said honestly. _I know Kristoff means well. Good grief, he even_ likes _magic. Those particular phrases just hit too close to home for me._

"That's okay. Also if it makes you feel better, I scolded him," Anna informed her.

To Anna's surprise, Elsa stifled a giggle at that. _I'm sure you did, Anna. You didn't have to though._ She continued walking without saying anything, but Anna could tell her sensitive sister was already happier. Elsa was relaxed, and she wasn't looking at the ground and fidgeting with her fingers like she tended to do when upset and not in queen mode.

Elsa stopped walking a few minutes later and turned to face Anna. "Now I have something to say."

"What?"

"Thank you. I have told you that many a time, but...this is different. I told you to leave me behind if you had the chance to escape. I _ordered_ you to. Instead you managed to get _both_ of us out. You also...showed me something important when I was hurt and couldn't remember anything recent." Elsa started walking back toward the others, knowing Anna would follow; then just sat on a bench instead.

"I don't understand..." _Does Elsa really believe I'd have left her there? I could never do that!_ Anna plopped down next to her.

Elsa looked down at her pale hands and clasped them in her lap, smiling. "Anna, you made me _want_ to remember things. I would have never, ever wanted to do such a thing not so long ago. I used to _hate_ my memories. I would have just been glad to be rid of them. You also just...made me feel at peace about what was happening to me, even though I still felt confused and didn't really understand what was going on. You did not leave even though you knew we were safe. I don't need _anyone_ else's acceptance as long as I have yours." She paused before continuing, "And, while I definitely do not know exactly what you were dealing with in those troll caverns, I _do_ know one thing: it might have seemed like I'd given up, but I swear to you I didn't. I knew you were there, and I tried to-"

"I know," Anna interrupted. "You seemed to be okay as long as I held you. If I put you down you would get shaky and upset." She swiped at her own tears, not wanting Elsa to end up blaming herself for Anna being upset.

"Are...are you okay?" Elsa awkwardly tugged Anna's hand away from her face and just gave her little sister a hug. _I will not let Anna be scared. Maybe I can actually take care of her for once instead of the other way around._

"Yeah. I'm just...I'm so scared of losing you. I saw you really badly hurt and I couldn't _do_ anything! What if you _died_?! What if...I don't know. Never mind." Anna's voice had gotten ahead of her mind, and she did not want to place even more pressure on Elsa. Elsa had enough of her own issues to concern herself with.

Elsa hesitated before answering. _Now isn't my time yet. But...whenever that time does come, Anna has to let me go. I would never, ever want her mourning over me. I'd want her to just think of the happy things we did._ "I'm here now, Anna," she said finally.

"I know. I want to be strong like you, so I can protect _you._ You shouldn't have to fight. You've been doing that in your own quiet way your whole life."

Elsa shook her head. "No, you don't. You're perfect the way you are already. And really, Anna, you _know_ if you had powers like mine, we would have had no chance of escaping. You saved us _because_ you don't have magic," she pointed out.

"I know. But I like your magic. I still wish I was like you." Anna knew quite well how much Elsa did not understand her own abilities, and she wished she could understand Elsa's experiences better.

Elsa suddenly put her hands to her head, as if she were in pain. "...Linnae. Anna, what do I do?!" _I don't want to kill you!_ she messaged the dragon back.

 _You have to! Now!_ Linnae 'sounded' terrified. _Do it now! Bring me back after you master your magic. I know you can._

Elsa scrunched her eyes shut as Linnae continued bombarding her with the same message over and over. Anna just put her arm around Elsa's shoulders and kept walking. "I'll support you if you keep Linnae, but you've _got_ to figure out how to get her back, Elsa," Anna said firmly.

They were only a few yards from Olive's big black van when a tall man blocked their path back. "You have something of mine," he said gruffly, staring directly at Anna.

Anna stared at him in confusion. "No I don't. I've never seen you before." She studied the man's face, unafraid with Elsa by her side and her friends nearby. _The eyes. I've seen them before..._

Elsa instinctively touched the angry scar on her arm, sensing something very very wrong despite not entirely knowing what was going on. Linnae's frantic messaging had ceased, and it rather disturbed her. _He has the same...same aura...of the white trolls. I know they took a lot of blood from me. Rapunzel couldn't entirely heal the wound._

 _A magical weapon of some kind. Maybe a knife. Did Anna take it with her...?_ Elsa glanced to their friends and pointedly touched her arm and acted as if she had a knife in her hand. _Please understand. If Anna has it it's in one of the packs._ Kristoff looked a little puzzled, but Rapunzel instantly nodded and whispered something to Olive. They disappeared into the van. "He is a troll, Anna," she said finally. "Somehow." Elsa felt her own magic stirring uneasily under her skin. The troll man was not focused on her right now, but she was instantly on alert, ice crawling over her fair skin, forming new armor.

"How rude." He shifted his gaze to Elsa, and she pulled Anna behind her out of reach. "You! _You_ again! Your blood was barely enough to let one of us leave the caverns! We should _never_ have let you leave. You have so much magic for such a small thing, and we could not get it!" He snatched Elsa's arm in a flash, just like what had happened on the cavern ledge, but this time Elsa was ready. She gazed steadily at the transformed creature.

"Squeeze all you like. It will not work this time." Elsa could feel uncomfortable pressure on her arm, but the impenetrable ice was protecting her now. The creature could not crush her again. _I can't rely on that though...I'll bet it_ would _break eventually, but this one creature by itself can't._ "What do you claim my sister took-" Elsa yelped as the creature threw her against the van. He was clearly frustrated now. _Come on, Elsa, keep his attention on you until your friends find that weapon._ "You're going to call too much attention to us."

The troll threw an angry punch, and she instinctively blocked it with her bad arm. Elsa bit her lip as pain reverberated through her arm and shoulder despite her icy armor, but she refused to actively use her magic as offense. Not against these trolls. If she did, she would just strengthen them, making them even more difficult to fight. "You...leave...us alone!" she hissed angrily.

Anna knew Elsa's icy armor would protect her at least temporarily, so she scrambled into the van. "He wants the knife. I just realized it. The knife the trolls used to cut Elsa's arm when they took her blood," she whispered quickly.

Olive had found the knife and was hefting it in her hand. "What's he so concerned about one knife for?"

Sensing the other girls' thoughts, the troll-man abruptly dropped Elsa and went for the others. Rapunzel screamed, and Kristoff pulled Anna protectively close, out of the van and out of direct reach. On instinct Elsa just froze the creature's feet to the ground. He looked back at her and gave a sickening smile. "Why, thank you."

 _Oh no._ Elsa more sensed than saw the large _thing_ hurtling toward them. She threw up a half-dome barrier on instinct to keep it from turning them into pancakes. Too late she saw Olive's vines wrapping around the troll's legs and arms. "Olive, no! Stop!" Elsa shouted. She cringed as Olive shot large spiky thorns flying toward the troll. "You need to _stop_!"

"I'm trying to help!" Olive yelled back. "Focus on that dragon you don't understand!"

 _I know. "_ Direct magic attacks directly strengthen them!" Elsa hoped Olive would understand. Linnae slammed into Elsa's barrier, and it shattered, sending ice shards everywhere. The dragon stared at Elsa, her normally glowing icy blue eyes tinged with the dark gray of the trolls. _I warned you, Elsa._

A second troll sat on Linnae's back, this one in its normal squatty chalky troll form. Elsa's heart sank; then realized that this 'second troll' was just the same one that had already been there, just transformed back into its normal form. "Kristoff, get Anna and Rapunzel out of here. ...Olive?"

Olive stepped up beside her and nodded. "Take them to the beach where I told you while Anna and Elsa were off walking. We'll catch up." She glanced at the ice mage and added simply, "Please don't kill my plants. I'll be your backup while you handle the dragon."

Elsa nodded. _Defense mode activated,_ she thought. She could only hope that she and Olive could figure out how to defeat the troll before it caused more trouble with Linnae.

 **A/N: So yep, Elsa's okay (mostly) and she's about to face down one of the trolls with her new ally.**

 **Hopefully Elsa's current mindset makes more sense now:) What Anna did for her means a lot and she is very happy.**

 **If anyone is thinking the mermaids are out of nowhere...they're not. Pabbie has told Elsa they existed before, so of course I'm going to bring them into play:)**

 **Next chapter coming soon, and this is MantaI-305Apollo'sChariot signing off for now as usual, over and out!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who's followed/favorited and/or is reading but not reviewing!**

 **IndyGirl89-Yup Elsa's mostly fine now! She knows to protect herself with ice _before_ doing anything else against those trolls, so they cannot literally crush her again. (I mean, Elsa is still just a human girl, and a tiny one at that who probably doesn't weigh much, so she will never have the strength to fight a white troll up close hand-to-hand, forget mastering her powers. She needs to protect herself.) However...Anna took that troll knife...**

 **Elsa Tomago-Taking the white trolls' knife was a dangerous thing to do on Anna's part, but it also will help them.:) Olive's magic isn't _purposely_ inspired by Rosetta's from the Tinker Bell movies, but since I do really like those (except for the Neverbeast one, that was just strange and very "...???" to me) I am SURE there's some unintentional inspiration there, lol. Do you have a favorite Tinker Bell movie? Mine is Secret of the Wings.**

 **On to the story!:) {Before anyone shouts _Those are the wrong names!!!_ , yes I still call Rapunzel's parents Thomas and Primrose, I've used those names for so long. Same with Elsa's and Anna's parents with the name spelling being Agdar and Idun instead of Agnarr and Iduna. I am not changing them now, sorry:P}**

CORONA

"The runes translate to 'League of Seven'. Thomas, what is this from? Are our daughters in danger?" Agdar asked, crumpling the paper Rapunzel had copied the runes onto in his fist. Minutes after he and Idun had arrived at the Corona castle, Thomas had asked him to translate the runes from the mysterious magic book Rapunzel had found.

Idun patted his shoulder. "They'll be fine. Perhaps we can help them here," she suggested.

Thomas sighed. "The runes are copied off a magic book Rapunzel found in the library. She couldn't get it out, but she copied the title down, hoping you could translate it when you arrived," he explained carefully.

The crumpled piece of paper fell to the floor. Agdar couldn't help but think that whatever this book was, had once been in Arendelle, not Corona. Magic combined with a title like _League of Seven_ could only mean one thing: there were _seven_ people out there that were probably powerful mages, like Elsa, and that they were meant to fight something. He did _not_ want Elsa to be part of such a thing. "...Where's Rapunzel?"

"She left Corona with Kristoff to help Elsa and Anna," Primrose said quietly. "Look, we know you don't like magic, but..."

"It's dangerous! Whoever cannot see that is an utter idiot."

" _Can be_ dangerous. Key words being _can be,_ " Thomas corrected.

Primrose asked her sister to take a walk with her, figuring the two men would probably be more likely to discuss that without them there. She had already decided that before Agdar and Idun had arrived.

As soon as they were gone, Agdar turned sad angry eyes on Thomas. "Magic hurt my children. I want nothing more to do with it, nor do I want Anna and Elsa to, either."

"No," Thomas said sharply. " _You_ hurt your children. That is not Elsa's powers' fault. They had an accident, a terrible accident. Would it be a tree's fault if they fell out of it and were knocked unconscious? Of course not."

"If it was a rotten tree, it is, and I would have it cut down."

"Let's say it's a healthy tree that they have climbed many times. Just once, Anna slips and Elsa can't catch her before she falls. You can't tell me you would think that is the tree's fault, or Elsa's," Thomas said now.

"Of course not. It's an accident." Agdar crossed his arms, clearly frustrated. "That's hardly the same thing as Elsa's magic being utterly out of control. The tree just sits there. Elsa's powers can explode and destroy things."

"Agdar, do you still not realize what you did to her?" Thomas asked quietly. "You _caused_ Elsa's inability to control her powers because she was isolated, hurt, and frightened. She could control it fine before the accident, right?"

Agdar nodded. He had never liked Elsa's powers, not since she was born, but he knew she could at least mostly handle them before the incident. "She sometimes made mistakes, but just small ones. But she never hurt anyone. I told her not to use them, but she would anyway." Agdar thought about the little toddler Elsa that was cute as could be, but could also be a little mischief maker with her magic. _I know I hurt her. Simply from seeing present-day Elsa. Sometimes she's so nervous..._

"Look, I don't understand Elsa's abilities any more than you do, but how could you think just ignoring the problem would work? That girl has grown up with zero understanding of what she has and what she can do. No experimenting and being confident she could control her powers. Instead she grew up locked in that room thinking she was some terrible thing that shouldn't exist. You've hurt her and you made the potential danger from her magic multiplied a hundred times over!" Thomas was angry now, and the words just tumbled out. "Your daughter has extremely powerful magic that's tied to her emotions...and she has emotional issues because her parents hurt her. That is a terrible combination! Now she's trying to deal with something far past any of our understandings, and she has no experience to do so! Elsa cannot _'_ not have anything to do with magic' like you want her to, even if _she_ wants to. It's part of her, and nothing is going to change that."

Agdar was silent.

"Disliking Elsa's magic is understandable. Making mistakes trying to care for her is understandable. I don't know what I would have done with her if she was mine. Perhaps I would have not let her play with her magic with Anna, but still let them be together, or always supervised them if they wanted to play with Elsa's powers, I'm not sure. But keeping her isolated and telling her _conceal it don't feel it don't let it show_ is very very wrong. She was still just a normal little kid, and she _trusted_ your judgement. That's why she didn't throw a fit when you and Idun decided to put her in her room." Thomas turned and stared out the window. "I don't know my nieces as well as I wish we did, but I do know Elsa doesn't speak up for herself easily the way Anna does. She's quiet and even when she hates something, she tends to keep it to herself."

"I taught Elsa to know to speak up. She's queen and she does an excellent job despite what's wrong with her." Agdar did not like Elsa's magic one bit, but he was very proud of her otherwise. "She's smart and knows how to write well, and she can obviously take care of things politically."

Thomas shook his head and turned back around. "Not speaking up on behalf of others. You taught her how to rule well and speak up for others. You didn't teach her to speak up for _herself._ How could you? You caged her as if she were some...some monster that needed to be contained. Elsa was a prisoner, and you know it!"

"Elsa could have left that room anytime she wanted. Goodness knows she had the literal power to do so. She knew she shouldn't!"

"Because you brainwashed her to think that since she was eight years old! Of course she continued obeying when she was older, she didn't know anything different!" Thomas exploded. "You can't tell me you _never_ thought something was wrong. Elsa never cried? Never asked to talk to Anna through her door? Never tried to protest in some subtle way? Never made any remote fuss? You _never_ noticed she was depressed or otherwise upset, or scared?"

Agdar hesitated. "At the time, I thought Elsa was strong enough to handle it," he said finally. "I believed she was responsible and old enough to understand." _And I didn't want to admit it, and I was scared of her, honestly._

Thomas ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "But Agdar, she was just a little girl, and then a teenager. A sensitive one at that. Your ignoring the issues and shoving them under the carpet means they have built up. Elsa will be all right with Anna around-she might have to deal with permanent anxiety and whatever else bothers her but she'll be okay- but that's not going to fix her ignorance about her magic. She's missing thirteen years of experimentation and being used to it. That's over half her life."

"I don't wish to discuss this further. I already know what I have done to her. I turned her into an anxious mess."

"She has Anna now. She will be okay. Do you want to help Elsa now?"

"Of course I do! I don't want her hurt again. She's my daughter." Agdar knew deep inside that Thomas was right, but he didn't want to admit it out loud. It was as if admitting it would somehow make it more real. The small signs that his children, now all grown up, were _not_ okay, even now, flooded through his mind again. Anna's clinginess and overprotective ways regarding Elsa. Elsa's skittishness around him when he had seen her be playful and confident with Anna when she didn't think he was around. Anna's _many_ statements saying her big sister was hurting and it was his fault. Elsa's constant searching for approval when she was with him, and the saying thank-you over and over when he was kind to her or gave her a hug. _She thought I hated her. Elsa has literally thanked me for not hating her._

Something else came to mind...the two times he had put younger teenage Elsa in that dungeon cell. Had Elsa just pretended to be okay and then cried once she was alone? Why hadn't she made a fuss? But no, Elsa had just stood there and said nothing. She didn't struggle, didn't protest; she was just silent. When Anna had found out where Elsa was, she yelled and threw a fit trying to defend Elsa. But Elsa herself was quiet. Had what he had thought was Elsa knowing what was best and being responsible been just Elsa too depressed and scared to make a fuss? Or worse, thinking she just deserved to be punished? Why hadn't he just _believed_ Elsa when she said that storm hadn't been of her own making? Why hadn't he listened and _done something_ when Anna warned him right before that fateful trip that eighteen-year-old Elsa was depressed? Anna was never around her sister and yet she still knew. Instead he had basically just said Elsa would be fine and for Anna to not worry about it...even though by then he _had_ been concerned since that wasn't something Anna would just make up.

Thomas could see that his stubborn brother-in-law knew he had not done the right things. "You know, you don't have to _like_ Elsa's magic. You can just accept and love her anyway. She loves you very much, I know she does."

"I know she does, and she shouldn't. I can't be the father she deserves," Agdar said flatly.

Thomas just stared at him. "How about just trying? You obviously do care about her and Anna. When you and Idun go visit them, just...be a friend. Let Elsa know you'll be there for her. Let Anna know you'll take care of her sister."

 _Anna would just say I had better do that and be utterly unimpressed. She doesn't hold grudges but she does for people hurting Elsa. "_ They were happy last Christmas..." Agdar mulled this over.

"Then just do what you did then. Neither of them are the grudge-holding type. They love you." _Well, except about matters harming the other. They do hold grudges for that..._

"They shouldn't. I know Anna is angry for what we did to Elsa, but Elsa...is not." Agdar clearly sounded a little confused.

Thomas frowned. "Elsa hating you would make it easier, wouldn't it?"

"What are you implying?"

"Simply that Elsa's _not_ hating you makes you feel guilty."

Agdar decided to be honest. It couldn't hurt at this point. "That is true. I'm grateful that she doesn't, but...it doesn't make one bit of sense."

Thomas sighed. "Agdar, that's not who she is. Elsa easily forgives people for hurting her. She just won't trust them. You must have realized that," he said.

 _I made her think she didn't deserve anything better for so long that now she's surprised if people_ are _accepting and kind to her..._ "Tell me what you know about this League of Seven thing," Agdar said finally.

* * *

Meanwhile, Idun and Primrose were in the library talking there. "Primrose, do you think the girls are safe? I just keep thinking they might be hurt somewhere far away with no one there to help," Idun said worriedly.

"They may not be safe, but they are together. And I know Anna's fiancée will take care of Rapunzel." Primrose smiled. "I should love to see my nieces again. I hope Rapunzel convinces them to come here before they return home."

Idun looked down, thinking. "I should have sent Elsa to you when she was small. Perhaps she would have been better off here. Safer." She hesitated. "I've _seen_ Elsa. Seeing her now makes me sad. I'm proud of her all the same, but...How did Agdar and I _not_ realize what we were doing? We lied to Anna. We isolated Elsa and unintentionally made her terrified of herself. If Anna had been allowed around Elsa, Anna would have helped her. I know she would have. I think Agdar and I should just let them be. They don't need us."

Primrose patted her sister's hand. "The past can't be changed now, but I don't think you should just leave them be. I'm sure Anna and Elsa would be happy to have you around now."

Idun smiled a little, but then she frowned and shook her head. "We make Elsa anxious. I'll not cause that _more_ if I can help it. That is just selfish, and it's why I haven't written to either of them since Elsa's birthday. She's happy and content with Anna." _I love them, but better they be happy without us._

"Idun, write them letters! Even anxious Elsa would probably love to have letters from you. I'm sure they'll come here with Rapunzel before they go home. Ask Elsa what she wants." Primrose paused before adding, "And if she won't express what it is that she wants from her parents, get Anna by herself and ask her. Elsa would talk to Anna."

"...Do you think they're safe right now?"

"No, but I think the girls can handle things. Elsa can defend herself, and she has Anna with her. If they are injured, Rapunzel can heal them. I'm not sure how much help Olaf would be, but Kristoff can help protect them too. They'll all be all right." Primrose _was_ worried, but she was confident they would make it home safely.

"I hope you're right."

* * *

DOVER

 _That knife must be able to hurt the trolls,_ Elsa thought desperately. _I must get it._ Linnae was slowly driving her and Olive toward the beach, and Elsa knew she had to do something different. Ice attacks were no good against already icy Linnae, and she didn't want to hurt or kill the dragon, either. "Linnae! Snap out of it!" Elsa shouted, trying to focus and block out the surprised spectators' voices around them.

 _I cannot. I am thinking clearly but I can't act on my own, Elsa,_ came Linnae's worried message. _You need to kill me! I told you so already!_

"Your life construct is lost to you, girl," the troll said from atop Linnae's back. He seemed completely unconcerned and satisfied to wait around while Elsa tried to regain control of Linnae. "You can easily make another, you know," he taunted.

"No! You _want_ me to do that so you can influence another!" Elsa said, frustrated. One of Linnae's big paws swatted her to the ground, and Elsa yelped. _What do I do?! I don't want to kill Linnae. There_ must _be a way to help her!_

Olive swung from a vine overhead attached to a tree she had constructed right in the street, and landed right on Linnae's back. "Come on, you big icy creature, you! You're squishing your creator!"

The troll screeched and tried to throw Olive off, but she jumped on the troll's back and stabbed it with the troll knife instead. Linnae reared and flew off, dumping Olive and the troll on the ground, still tussling. Olive was not nearly as strong as the troll, but he couldn't dislodge her as long as she clung to his back like a monkey. "Elsa! Catch!" she yelled.

Still slightly winded from Linnae knocking her down, Elsa plopped herself back on her feet with her magic just in time to catch the troll knife sailing toward her. _Good, Olive has the same plan I do._ Elsa adjusted her grip on it; then thought better of it and literally froze it to her own hand with ice so she wouldn't drop it or have it stolen from her. "Got it!"

"Hurry up!"

Elsa slid herself over to the troll and Olive on a sheet of ice just as Linnae began blowing deathly cold air onto them from above. Her tail flicked from side to side, breaking windows and knocking shingles loose from roofs. Elsa cringed. _I've got to do something!_ "Cease that instantly, Linnae!" She threw up another barrier and shouted for anyone in the area to get indoors and away from windows _now._

 _"Elsa!_ Do something now!" Olive shouted as the troll slammed her against a lamppost.

Elsa scrunched her eyes shut and stabbed at the troll. It screeched in pain and released Olive, but didn't back down. Instead it snatched both her and Olive and threw them across the beach. Both mages skidded across the pebbly beach and came to rest in a pile of snow. Elsa glanced at Olive, and Olive just stared at her. "What?"

"You were supposed to cut the head off or something, not close your eyes and stab blindly at it! We just made it mad!" Olive scolded.

"I don't know how to fight using my magic indirectly," Elsa responded truthfully as the two of them stood up to face the troll again. _We need to keep it out of the water, away from Olive's family. That I do know._

Olive nodded. "Don't think like that. Right now that knife is our best chance. At least it can actually hurt the troll. You have to be the one wielding it because you're able to make it an extension of your hand with your ice so it can't be taken from you." She got into defense mode again; for her it was on tiptoes, a vine whip curling around one arm, her other hand ready to form another tree trunk to swing onto or from.

 _Anna. Anna used this knife to defend us. She doesn't have magic,_ Elsa thought suddenly. _I can do this._ Adrenaline rushing through her, she slid forward on another ice sheet, this time ready.

The troll just stood there and punched her back at the last second. This time Elsa caught herself with her magic and dropped herself back to the beach again. _Now what?_ She glanced back just in time to see Linnae hurtling toward them again. Ice crackled as Elsa's barrier spread to protect her and Olive from the impact.

Linnae crashed into the barrier and fell to the beach, stunned. Elsa could feel the ground shaking beneath her from the force of Linnae dive-bombing into another impenetrable ice barrier, and on a sudden impulse, she mind-messaged Linnae _Go to sleep,_ and sent a strong pulse of her magic into her dragon's head from her own, the message sending over and over. _Go to sleep go to sleep go to sleep._

 _I order it. This is_ my _magic, not the trolls'. Go to sleep go to sleep. Linnae. Sleep._ Elsa did not relax until she saw Linnae's icy eyes revert to their normal color and drift closed.

"ELSA, TURN AROUND! Now!" she heard Anna's frantic voice yell. "Get off me, Kristoff, that thing is gonna-"

Elsa felt herself slammed violently to the ground before she could react, hard enough that she knew she would probably be badly injured or dead if she wasn't wearing her ice-armor. On instinct she had just thrown her arms over her face, ice streaming from her free hand not holding the knife. _No. I shouldn't have done th-oh._

 _The thing isn't attacking me, but it's not getting off either._ It slowly dawned on her that she couldn't move the knife hand at all, and she hesitantly opened her eyes. The troll was collapsed across her, pinning her to the beach. Water licked lazily at her feet. _I...I killed it? What happened?_

"Are you all right?" Olive asked, standing over her, her long brown hair dangling over her eyes.

"I...I think so. Just stuck."

Kristoff came splashing through the shallow water before either Olive or Elsa could use their magic to move the troll. "Don't use magic to move it, guys. I find it hard to believe it's dead just like that. You might revive it if you do."

Elsa gave him an annoyed look. "I don't fancy staying trapped under here."

Kristoff ignored this comment and began shoving at the troll, and Anna ran over to help. Soon they had rolled it away from Elsa, and Anna helped her stand up. "Are you okay? I saw it coming at you, I tried to warn you..." She grabbed at Elsa's knife hand and stared at it. "What happened, did you cut yourself with your own knife?"

Elsa glanced at her hand and dissolved the ice fastening the troll knife to it. "I probably barely caught it when Olive threw it to me. If grazing myself with it is the worst that happened, I'm fine, don't you think?" She gazed down at the creature that had caused all the trouble. _Wait. I know how trolls die. I threatened Grand Pabbie so when he lied to me before._ "We need to shatter it," she said darkly.

Elsa calmly handed the weapon to Anna. Dissolved her ice all over the now-abandoned beach. Turned to face Olive. "Can you make some caustic plant chemicals of some kind?"

Olive nodded but then shook her head. "It's _possible_ but I don't know how," she admitted. "We have explosives in my realm though. I'll ask my parents for one."

"Okay." Elsa turned her focus back on the dead or sort of dead troll. She formed a ball of pure ice magic between her hands, increasing the pressure until her barely healed arm began to hurt again. Then she encased the pulsing magic with ice. "We'll meld your normal explosive with my magical one."

Kristoff decided he did not like that look on Elsa's face. "Why do you know how to destroy trolls?"

"I think shattering rock to bits is common sense. But we could not do it without using whatever that troll knife is first." Elsa went quiet then, but she did not look one bit sorry or disturbed now. _And I will do the same to any creature that harms Anna. I forgot what Grand Pabbie accidentally revealed to me._

Anna just hugged Elsa. "How are you taking Linnae home? I don't think she'll fit in the weird underwater vehicle thing Olive's parents brought for us."

"Be right back," Olive said, and dove into the water, her human legs melding back to her mermaid tail.

"...We're going home underwater?" Elsa asked curiously.

"Yeah. We get to ride on their vehicle thingie and since humans can't breathe underwater we get these mask things that make oxygen from the water. It's really cool!" Anna was clearly excited, and Elsa was glad to see Anna happy again. "...About Linnae?"

"I'm not sure..." Elsa glanced at the sleeping Linnae. Surely keeping Linnae asleep would be all right until she knew for sure that she could prevent the dragon from being influenced by outside magic. But she couldn't leave an ice dragon on the beach, and home was thousands of miles away.

Olive popped back to the surface, small explosive in hand. "My parents say they will keep that sleeping dragon in the practice cave until such time that you can come back for her. They're not keen on the idea, but I convinced them. Here's the explosive, Elsa. Switch the timer, and it'll go off in thirty seconds." She glanced at Anna and Kristoff. "Could you two please go back down to the vehicle? I can help Elsa move Linnae, I promise."

Anna hugged Elsa one last time before splashing out into the water with Kristoff. "Please be safe, Elsa. I don't want anything else happening to you," she whispered. _She'll be fine. She has to._

Elsa's smile faded once Anna was gone and reverted to her dark, focused look about the troll. She flinched when Olive hesitantly touched her shoulder and asked if she was okay. "Yes. I'm just..." she looked out over the water before continuing, "I swear if _any_ troll hurts my sister, I will kill it. I will obliterate it from existence and I won't feel guilty for it, either." _If a human kills my sister I shall kill him or her too. That I would probably feel guilty for though. Probably._

Olive was quiet. This was the first time she had seen the tougher side of the ice mage, and it was a little confusing. _The first time I saw her, she was unconscious. Then I saw her at the hospital, and she was confused and kind of nervous. I just felt bad for her. I knew she was one of the mages I was supposed to find, but...I had no idea how powerful she really is. I figured she would end up being one of the weakest ones out of the seven. Instead, I think she's probably going to end up being one of the strongest ones. She's just totally untrained. Also, note to self, don't make Elsa mad._ "You keep surprising me," she said after a moment.

Elsa flipped the switch on Olive's explosive and carefully slipped it within her own, counting the thirty seconds in her head. "I can move Linnae with my magic. Let's get away from here," she announced. _I don't want to surprise Olive. She probably thinks me a fool since she's the one who saw me when Anna first got me out of there._ Elsa closed her eyes and stuffed the magic-ordinary explosive hybrid into the hole the troll knife had left in the creature. She shuddered.

Olive did the same. "Gross. Let's go."

In seconds Elsa had lifted Linnae with her magic and stumbled into the water. "Where do I put Linnae?"

"A raft for now. Hurry up, we have to get away from here." Olive pulled Elsa by the arm into deeper water the second Linnae was resting on an ice raft farther out. "Come on."

Elsa stumbled over something underwater with her bad leg, and Olive looked back at her questioningly. "I'm fine. I just slipped." She dissolved her icy armor and then dove underwater to prove that yes, she was fine.

 _BOOM._ On shore, chalky bits of rock rained down on the beach and joined the pebbles there. That particular white troll would not be coming back.

* * *

Minutes later, Elsa found herself gazing about underwater in absolute wonder. It was exactly like Anna had said. Now they sat-or rather, floated-strapped into Olive's mermaid parents' marine transportation vehicle. Elsa glanced down at her own legs, struck by a childish wish that she was a mermaid too. Anna took one look at Elsa's face and knew exactly what she was thinking. "It's...magical here, isn't it?" Anna said quietly.

Elsa jumped, surprised that she could hear and understand Anna underwater. Anna sounded slightly muffled but otherwise exactly like her normal voice. Olive laughed at Elsa's reaction. "My people spent years and years developing those oxygen-making devices. They had better work properly! They help sick mermaids breathe better, and a slightly modified version makes it so humans can breathe underwater too," Olive explained. "We don't hate humans, contrary to what some people believe. It's just we stay far away from them in our own waters most of the time so we don't end up in zoos or whatever. Oh and our underwater vehicles are called merships."

Elsa nodded. This made sense to her. "I...I wish I could stay here. It's lovely," she said hesitantly, nervous the others wouldn't understand her even though she knew they would.

Olive was silent for a moment, but then she decided to be honest, flicking her tail fins nervously. "Elsa, you aren't going to be allowed into Atlantis," she said quietly. "It took a lot of convincing for mom and dad to get them to let you come this far. They'll take you as close to your home as they can, but you can't come into our realm."

Elsa bit her lip and the water around her grew chilly, but she just nodded. _Why would I think it would be any different here, in what amounts to another world?_ She felt Anna gently put her arm around her shoulders and she closed her eyes. Of course she didn't belong here. But Anna didn't care.

"Why can't Elsa go in? You said the rest of us could if we wanted," Anna pointed out. "Elsa won't hurt anyone," she added defensively.

"Because she's an ice mage. If she makes mistakes, our environment could get out of balance. And before you ask, the reason they're letting Linnae in is because she's permanently asleep and can't make mistakes." Olive looked apologetically at Elsa. "I'm really really sorry. I would let you in, I swear."

"It's all right," Elsa said honestly. "I might not let me in either. You do need to protect your realm, and you do not really know me." She felt lucky they had a way home and that Olive's family was willing to pet-sit the sleeping Linnae. _Besides, we can't spend a lot of time here anyway. I must get home, I must practice with my magic...hard._

Anna scowled and hugged Elsa tightly. "I'll stay here with Elsa while the rest of you go, then," she decided. As much as she wanted to see Olive's home country, making sure Elsa wouldn't be alone or sad was much more important. _Aren't Olive's people worried about offending Elsa? She's the queen and they won't even allow her in. That's...weird._ Anna decided maybe Atlantis was so used to being independent and on its own that no one cared if a human country didn't want anything to do with them. Still...it was weird, especially since Olive had said she and Elsa were from 'the legendary kingdom of Arendelle'.

Anna received her answer a moment later as a mermaid that looked like an older version of Olive swam into the back part of the vehicle. "Your cooperation means you may come into our realm with our full welcome, Queen Elsa," the mermaid said, offering Elsa a small package of what looked like rolled up seaweed. "Your passports while inside Atlantis."

"Mom, you tricked me? It was just a test?!" Olive groused. She frowned. Anna and Elsa didn't seem surprised or offended, but then again, Elsa had grown up not being accepted. Of course she hadn't tried to insist she be allowed in.

"...Thank you," Elsa replied, slightly confused. _It was a test?_ Because _I didn't protest, they now want me here?_ She carefully unwrapped the package. Inside lay four large pearls on cords. Upon closer inspection she could see their names engraved on each pearl. Elsa smiled and slid her own on her wrist before handing the others to Anna, Rapunzel, and Kristoff. "We appreciate your hospitality very much."

Olive's mother looked pleased. "We hope you will enjoy your stay, even if it must be short. I'm trusting you with my daughter. She will be returning to your realm with you, if you allow it." She paused before adding, "My people do not completely understand the League of Seven, but I do know you and Olive are meant to be part of it. Please protect yourselves as much as possible."

Elsa nodded. "We will. I shall treat Olive as one of the family."

"Passing through polluted waters," warned Olive's father from the front seat. A thin screen surrounded the mership, partially purifying the water before it entered.

Anna coughed. "It's like...like we're breathing in smoke or something," she said. "Yuck."

Olive had her hand over her nose and nodded. "You humans throw trash and oil and other nasty things in the ocean and it poisons the water. Not you, you, but...other humans."

Elsa wondered if they would get sick. She just sat quietly trying to breathe as little as possible. Kristoff looked disgusted. Rapunzel looked at Olive thoughtfully. "I could heal any hurt mermaids, maybe," she offered.

Elsa touched her newly healed arm, thinking of her own ice under her skin still protecting the bones there. Could she help others the same way? She supposed not since putting ice inside an ordinary person would just injure them further, but she couldn't help wondering. And for herself, she wondered if she could actually heal her damaged leg enough that she could run again. It no longer bothered her, but she was still curious...and she knew not being able to run was a hindrance when she tried to fight.

And the League of Seven would have to fight. _Except...I_ didn't _really think about that when Olive and I were fighting. I just reacted differently to accommodate that. My bad leg was the_ last _thing on my mind then._

 _Also...I cannot leave Linnae here. It's too risky for Olive's people. I need to wake her up and just ride her home. Besides, I should talk to her anyway. Linnae has information about those white trolls that I don't._ Elsa was grateful for Anna squeezing her hand reassuringly but not asking what she was thinking about. She had no wish to reveal more of her own weaknesses to Olive and her family if she could help it. Although the Atlanteans had been nothing been nice and helpful, she didn't completely trust them. Humans would be at the mermaids' mercy inside an underwater city. This prospect disturbed her the more she considered it. _We should go straight home. Besides, Rapunzel's parents are probably worried._

Anna suddenly spoke up. "Hey guys? I think Elsa should take Linnae home. She should practice her magic _with_ Linnae," she announced. Beside her Elsa looked surprised but then nodded in agreement.

"You're fine with that?" Olive asked, clearly surprised.

"Yes. I trust my sister. She just needs more powers practice," Anna said firmly, in a tone that allowed no argument. To anyone else, Elsa looked perfectly calm, but her tight hold on Anna's hand said otherwise. "It's not Elsa's fault Linnae messed up. She-"

"Is too! Elsa created her," Kristoff interrupted.

Elsa wondered if Kristoff was angry with her now. She silently agreed with what he had said but didn't express this. _He's not wrong. It is my fault, I don't know how I made her nor how she functions. I...don't understand Linnae._

"Kristoff, no. You're just upset I was in danger. It wasn't Elsa's choice to go to Dover. Leave her be. If anything, it...it's Dad's fault for not teaching Elsa about her magic when she was little. Then she would understand her life constructs better." Anna frowned. "You aren't angry with her, are you?"

"No. Not as long as she didn't choose the stupid decision of going to Dover," Kristoff said honestly. He glanced at Elsa, who was just watching them with her impassive expression. "You didn't, right?"

Elsa shook her head no and gazed steadily at him. "You don't have to like me to be allowed to marry my little sister, you know. You just have to love and take care of Anna," she said matter-of-factly. Then, her piece said, she went back to her thoughtful silence and looked away from him. _I need no one's approval but Anna's. Anyone else's is just a nice bonus,_ she reminded herself. Deep inside Elsa knew she had to admit she _did_ still want everyone to accept her, but she refused to allow herself to mull over it and make herself all upset about it again.

Anna couldn't help wondering if quiet Elsa was telling the truth or if she was lying to herself. She knew quite well that people not accepting Elsa made her upset, no matter what Elsa claimed. But she knew she would not get an answer from Elsa right now, because people she didn't know would hear whatever she said.

"I dare say I should just ride Linnae home," Elsa finally spoke up. "As much as I appreciate your invitation, I believe you would be safer without my dragon or myself present." _This is better. I need to get Linnae awake and speak with her._

Olive's mother gave her a polite nod. "Thank you for your honesty."

"Meet us in Corona, Elsa," Rapunzel said now. "We'll go most of the way with Olive's family."

Elsa nodded, knowing the part her cousin wasn't adding. Too many people already knew about the rock trolls' power crystals. No need to spread the knowledge more unnecessarily.

The second the mership stopped moving, Elsa hugged Anna and then swam up to the surface to wake up the sleeping Linnae on the ice-raft. Linnae instantly sat up at attention and then snuffled at Elsa apologetically. "Please message Rapunzel or Olive that we're off and they can keep moving. I'm sorry for what happened, Linnae."

Linnae nodded and waited for Elsa to climb on her back before taking off. _I have told them. You should have killed me, you know._

"No. I need to practice and master my magic so that doesn't happen again," Elsa said firmly. "Please take me to Corona. We're going to meet the others there."

 _Elsa, you have so much magic for a living thing your size. You need to master it_ before _constructing something like me. Those white troll things want your power. I should never have brought you there._ Linnae paused before continuing 'talking' to Elsa. _I was scared and confused. I flew away when you and Anna needed me._

Elsa patted Linnae's neck. "It's all right. We were scared too. You didn't mean to harm us," she said softly. _It's my fault. I made Linnae._ Elsa closed her eyes and sighed deeply. No matter what Anna said to defend her, she still agreed with Kristoff. She had created Linnae. Linnae was her responsibility, and she did not understand how Linnae worked. Olive had looked surprised and startled that Elsa had made a live dragon. A live, intelligent magical creature made of impenetrable ice and could fly- _fast_ -shouldn't be taken lightly.

Elsa wondered what could happen if she created another life when she was purely angry and not just trying to protect her friends on instinct. The idea made her shudder. No wonder Pabbie had told her to take care never to create life out of anger.

 _I could destroy the world as I know it._

 _And yet..._ Elsa looked back toward Dover, already far out of sight. _If I could construct many things that_ weren't _really alive like Linnae and Olaf but would defend us...and I could keep them under control..._

 _I could have a robotic automaton army. A way to fight properly._

Elsa kept this idea to herself. For now. Later she would ask Anna's input. Anna could definitely help, and she would be honest.

 **A/N: Anna and Elsa are safely on the way home.:) (Well, they're going to visit Corona first, but they have made it safely away from Dover.)**

 **I know there are people who defend Elsa's parents, but sorry not sorry, you can talk to me til you're blue in the face and you won't convince me their actions were okay. Yes they meant well, but that doesn't justify lying to one child and isolating the other one. So here, while I still do not like them one bit, they have realized it was Not Okay by now, and are trying to treat both Anna and Elsa better.:)**

 **Thomas fusses at Agdar so much partly because he lost his own daughter for so long. He can't understand _not_ treating Elsa properly, even though he acknowledges that having a kid with powerful magic like Elsa's might be a bit scary.**

 **Next chapter coming soon!:)**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who's followed/favorited and/or is reading but not reviewing!:)**

 **IndyGirl89: Agreed. At this point, Elsa's dad _knows_ he did not do the right things and is trying to do better, but he doesn't want to admit it. As for Thomas, he's mostly just utterly baffled by it and frustrated because he didn't get to see his own daughter grow up, so he's thinking, how the heck can you have a child and then treat them like that, even if she's "different" and nobody really knows how to handle her magic. Yep, Linnae is a problem; Elsa needs to QUICKLY figure out how to prevent her from being affected by outside magic. Making Linnae sleep is a nice makeshift fix, but it's not foolproof nor is it really fair to Linnae. The _only_ reason Olive and Elsa were able to kill it was because of Anna's stolen troll knife. (And yes, a li'l bit of good luck!) However...the girls have made an active enemy now because of that...before they were merely interested in Elsa because she possesses so much raw power. Now the white trolls will actively dislike her and her friends... They won't return to Dover anytime soon.:) Oh! Nope! Sorry if it was unclear, but Dover, England. Around the white cliffs, hence the white chalky trolls, lol. Which, of course, leads to the fact that Linnae can fly very fast when she so chooses. **

**Elsa Tomago: It's far too late to undo the damage he has already caused, but Elsa's father is trying to do better now. It's just that is not going to change the fact that Elsa has far less knowledge/practice with her magic than she should and that while she's happy for the most part now, she still feels anxious and hurt sometimes. But with Anna there, she'll be totally fine.:) That's so cool! Periwinkle is my favorite fairy from the movies. Tink is cute and I do like her, but I definitely like Periwinkle better!_**

 **To the guest that made all the AU requests...probably not doing any of those anytime soon. However, I AM working on a Secret Passages AU where Anna discovers Elsa's magic three years before the coronation and how that will change the future timeline... (If you've read Secret Passages, the AU will start at chapter 23 and diverge from there.) So if that premise interests you, look for that sometime soon!**

 **On to the story!**

When Linnae landed in Corona, it was just about sunset Corona time. Elsa slid off the dragon's back and nodded politely at the guards staring at her. She knew they all knew exactly who she was, but she still felt embarrassed at just showing up like that. Linnae nuzzled her shoulder, and Elsa patted the ice dragon's nose. _Besides, they may not want to see Linnae._

Elsa was debating whether to say anything or not when she saw her aunt running out to meet her. _Thank goodness. I don't have to come up with some professional reasoning for showing up and explain myself,_ she thought in relief.

Primrose did not care if she wasn't being proper at the moment; she was just relieved to see Elsa alive and safe. Her niece didn't look sad, so the others must be fine as well and just not arrived yet. She asked Elsa if she minded a hug and then immediately hugged her tightly when the young queen said no, she didn't mind. "We're very glad you are safe. Come inside and have dinner with us. We'll wait for the others to arrive. I'm sure they will be here soon since you are here."

Elsa glanced from her aunt to Linnae and back again. _Aunt Primrose must know most of what happened. She isn't scared of Linnae?_

Primrose caught Elsa's unease and smiled reassuringly at her. "Could you tell Linnae to sleep, perhaps? I'm sure she's fine with you here," she said firmly. "We could put her in the stables. I think she may fit."

Elsa relaxed a little and nodded. She glanced at Linnae, who blinked lazily at her and tramped off. Then she flew up to the roof and went to sleep there, but not before thanking Elsa and telling her to tell Primrose thank you as well. "She says to tell you thank-you," Elsa reported. "For, um, not," Elsa shifted nervously from one foot to the other, "not telling us to go away."

Primrose led the way back inside. "I would never send you away. Neither would Thomas. Elsa," she turned to face her, "your parents are also here, just so you know. They came for a visit."

Elsa stopped short and looked down at her hands, but then she stood up straight and smiled. _That's all right. I haven't seen them for awhile anyway and I would like to, I think._ "Okay. Do...do they know anything about what was going on?" she asked. "I know you do because of Rapunzel."

Primrose nodded. "Yes, but-"

Elsa tensed and jumped in surprise as her mother ran over suddenly and hugged her so tightly she could barely breathe. _Mama is happy to see me! She doesn't seem angry at all._ She hesitantly hugged Idun back and was even more relieved to see her father in the hallway looking pleased to see her as well. The fear that she had done something very wrong-again-drained out of her, and she relaxed.

"I'm so glad you're safe. Where are Anna and the others?" Idun asked curiously.

"They are coming. I..." Elsa looked at Agdar and then the floor; then lifted her head and straightened her shoulders again. _I will be honest. Papa might be scared of me, but he doesn't hate me. That I do know._ "I don't trust Linnae enough to let others ride her any more, but I couldn't bring myself to just...get rid of her. She is asleep on the roof now-she won't hurt anyone, I'm almost positive she cannot wake up unless I tell her to. So I rode her back myself, and Anna and everyone are coming in a safer way," she explained. "...May we retreat to the library or somewhere else private? I will do my best to explain everything."

To Elsa's unending surprise, it was her father who came over, awkwardly put an arm around her shoulders, and led her towards the library. Elsa fidgeted uncomfortably with her fingers, but no power mistakes betrayed her. _I'm so confused. Did Uncle Thomas talk to him? Or...I don't know._ Something inside Elsa made her realize she was not the only nervous one; her dad was nervous too. He was tense and standing ramrod straight. _Like I do when I'm scared,_ Elsa thought in surprise. But he was _trying._ He was not pushing her away or scolding about not understanding the ice dragon. _Or being angry because I put Anna in danger. Again._ Finally, she glanced up at him after a minute and just said softly, "Papa, you don't have to be this close to me if you don't want to."

Agdar jumped. _Elsa knows I am...scared of her. But something is different about her, too. She doesn't seem to be lying about that, and I know before, she would have probably been quite upset._ He stepped away from Elsa, but then squeezed her shoulder before continuing toward the library.

Elsa wondered if her father had told her the _conceal don't feel_ nonsense because he did it himself and thought the same advice was good for her and her strange magic no one understood. _Maybe I will ask him later. I could ask now without making myself all upset. I think. "_ Papa?"

He turned to look at her, standing in the doorway to the library. "Yes?" _What is she asking? What if she asks something I don't wish to discuss...? I can't lie to her..._

"Thank you. For...trying." Elsa smiled shyly at him and then just walked past into the library. _I have Anna. I need no one else. Papa trying is more than enough. I'm not going to struggle for approval anymore-I'll try my best, and if that is not good enough, then so be it._

 _I know Anna will still love and accept me even if my best is awful._

* * *

Elsa had just finished explaining everything that had happened to the best of her ability (by pretending she was delivering her impromptu speech to Anna) when the others popped into the library via the recharged power crystals, startling them all. Anna immediately gave Elsa a hug and then just plopped onto a sofa, pulling the older girl next to her. Elsa didn't resist; she was glad to have the others there to help answer questions. While Elsa had been able to get through explaining without being questioned for more details simply because she had asked not to be interrupted, she knew both Rapunzel's parents and her own must have a lot of questions.

And her talking meter was done for now. This was not something easy for her to discuss in front of her parents anyway, and explaining things about magic without Anna there to back her up was difficult. _Especially_ since she genuinely did not understand some of it. Letting her father know she didn't completely understand how her own powers functioned was terrifying. Elsa felt as if something private had been revealed, and she wanted to take that information back. But now it was out, and Elsa was very, very grateful for Anna's warm hand holding her shaky cold one.

While Olive introduced herself and Rapunzel reunited with her parents, Kristoff dumped the Olaf pieces out of his bag and put him back together. And Anna once again asked Elsa if she was okay. Elsa nodded, but she also scooted closer to her little sister. _I am now that you're here. But...I_ did _explain by myself. Nothing horrible happened._ She glanced at their parents, but they did not look upset with her for being so close to Anna.

 _Actually, they look sad,_ Elsa realized with a start. _Why?_

The others all went downstairs to wait for dinner per Rapunzel's request, hoping that her cousins could have some nice time with their parents for once.

Anna finally noticed that their parents were there, and she was torn between a sudden urge to take Elsa far, far away and protect her, and just running over to give them a hug. She settled for waving cheerfully at them but staying right by Elsa's side.

Idun immediately came over to give Anna a hug. "We're so glad you and Elsa are back. I hear you saved the day," she told Anna.

Anna looked at Elsa, puzzled. "What all did you tell everyone?"

Elsa shifted nervously in her spot, but sat up straight, her hands clasped in her lap. "The truth. Everything as best I could as well as I could remember. That included you saving me from the white troll lair." _I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Anna. And she made me feel safe even when I couldn't remember everything._

 _Everything? Elsa explained everything by herself with Mom and Dad here? Cool. That must have been a lot for her. Good job, Elsa._ Anna grinned. "I _helped_ save the day. It was a joint effort. Elsa was scared but she tried to protect me and her anyways. Linnae helped me get Elsa out of the creepy caverns, too," Anna started. "Punzie helped lots. She healed us and she helped Kristoff protect Olaf! And Olive and Elsa were so good! They killed a troll and everything! We were going to visit Atlantis and we rode in a mership UNDERWATER but then Elsa rode Linnae here instead and Olive's parents brought us most of the way and then we used the power crystals to get here. Which was cool but now I'm really tired, and can we get something to eat? I wanna stay here tonight and share a room with Elsa and Punzie!"

Elsa smiled at Anna's enthusiasm. Anna gestured dramatically as she spoke, unlike Elsa's stiffly proper speech as she explained with her hands clasped behind her back; and she made the whole awful escapade sound like a grand adventure rather than the terrifying goings-on that Elsa had described in her carefully neutral voice. _Maybe I should have waited for Anna to get here._

Agdar, who had been listening, walked over as well. "That almost sounds like a completely different story than your sister's explanation," he said, shaking his head. He ruffled Anna's hair, which made Anna frown and say she wasn't five anymore. _Elsa's explanation is probably the more accurate picture, though._ Agdar looked his older daughter right in the face. "You are sure your cousin healed both of you?" he asked.

Elsa nodded. "As...as much as she could. Rapunzel cannot heal injuries caused by magic, though, so when I-"

"But Elsa and I weren't hurt directly by magic. Even the stuff the dumb trolls caused, it wasn't _really_ their magic, so Punzie could still mostly heal it," Anna interrupted, before Elsa could say she had caused frostbite on Anna's arm. "See, Elsa is all right, she said her arm was just still a bit sore. Right, Elsa?"

Elsa shrugged. "I'm fine. That part doesn't matter," she muttered. "Tell the rest." _I'm trying to be honest! Mama and Papa are concerned about_ you _. Don't I need to tell them?_ She couldn't help feeling surprised when Idun gently took _her_ arm and turned it this way and that, clearly trying to see if she was okay. "I'm all right," Elsa said again.

Idun hugged both Anna and Elsa tightly. The girls had returned safely, and surely the scary magic things could somehow be solved. "You two need to stay home safe in Arendelle. I don't want you to be in danger dealing with strange magical creatures we know little to nothing about." She hesitated before asking if there was some way to keep Elsa's magic depleted without harming her or making her ill. "Then maybe these...things won't want you anymore...right?"

Elsa's cool hand on Anna's arm kept her from fussing at this comment. _I should let Elsa answer herself. Give her a chance to speak up. Then if she doesn't,_ then _I'll fuss,_ Anna thought. All of Anna's instincts wanted to speak up _for_ her big sister, but Elsa had explained everything herself. She could speak up now, too. _I know she can do it._

Elsa shook her head. She looked at Anna, debating whether to explain further. If Anna was there, maybe she wouldn't have to talk anymore. But Anna only gave her a reassuring smile and squeezed her hand and said nothing. _Speak up, Elsa. Anna thinks you can. You_ did _a few minutes ago._ "No. It does not work that way," she said finally.

"Why not?"

Elsa looked at her father, wondering how to answer that. _That wasn't Papa's mad voice. He isn't angry. He just doesn't understand._ "I'm sorry. I don't know." She sent a _help me!_ look at Anna, but her little sister just put an arm around her and stayed uncharacteristically quiet. _I don't want to explain this anymore! This is far more scary than fighting that horrid troll with Olive. What if I say the wrong things? What if I make everyone hate me? What if I stutter and make another power mistake? I wish Anna would say something._

 _Elsa, Anna is right there. She believes in you. Let them hate you if need be. You can be sad and still deal with it._ Elsa wondered what had made Anna suddenly decide to force her to answer questions herself. Usually Anna would jump right in and say things before Elsa could get a word in edgewise. "I...um...I _don't_ know why it works this way, but I do know I'm a natural mage. That means...it means I was born like this. So I can't lose my powers. Depleting a natural mage's magic is like..." Elsa paused again, searching her mind for a simple explanation. "It's like a normal person exercising too much and collapsing from exhaustion. Or feeling sick from being dehydrated." _Does that make sense?_

"Don't you deplete it yourself every time you use it?" _Why didn't all those power mistakes make her sick then when she was little?_

Elsa smiled ruefully. "Papa, it replenishes itself. Quickly. And, well..." she moved to the opposite side of the library and stamped her foot. Instantly ice crackled across the floor and up the walls, but stayed several feet away from her family. "Doing something like this, or this..." Elsa made a massive version of her signature snowflake float over her hand, "uses so little of the...magic inside me, it may as well be nothing. It takes a _lot_ of magic use for me to purposely deplete it." She focused on Anna and easily dissolved everything she had just made. "Even when I...froze Arendelle last year, I didn't feel empty. At all. I had plenty of power left to build my ice palace and fight those thugs...and literally explode when I panicked and hurt Anna." _Please don't run away from me. I'm trying to be honest._ Elsa cringed, waiting for some awful reaction. "I can control it now. I swear. I don't _understand_ all of it, but Anna helps."

Agdar wondered just _how much_ power Elsa's slight frame held. He instinctively moved back a few more steps and pushed Anna and Idun behind him. "Elsa..."

Elsa flinched, but she stayed where she was, standing straight and tall, her hands clasped behind her back again. Anna ran over to her and just held onto her sister's arm, unable to stay quiet any longer. "Dad, Elsa's not dangerous. She just needs us to love and accept her. She wouldn't have been out of control before if she had had that. And practice. She needs magic practice _not_ under pressure. Please don't, like, run away from her. Even figuratively. Elsa tries _so_ hard to please you guys, I know she does." _Elsa was honest and she explained things, but she didn't really defend herself. I'm gonna do that for her._

"You're not _at all_ scared of her?"

Anna held Elsa tighter. "No. She's my sister, and I love her just like she is, ridiculously powerful magic none of us completely understand and all," she announced confidently. "We can help Elsa master her powers. I just know it!"

Agdar looked at his wife and then his daughters. "If Elsa...masters her powers, she will be virtually a...a goddess or something close to it."

Elsa's pale cheeks turned bright red, and she shook her head hard. "I'm not that! I'm still a human," she protested. _I'd much prefer being called that than cursed or defective or something, but just...no._ Not for the first time she wished she was like Anna. Strong but _normal._ Yet she also knew if she _did_ somehow no longer have magic, she would feel like there was something missing and she wouldn't be _just plain Elsa_ anymore. Elsa no longer disliked her magic or truly wanted to be rid of it, but she had to admit that it was still a burden that weighed heavily on her. Control it, Elsa. Do the right thing, Elsa. You don't know your limits, Elsa. You have too much power for one person, Elsa.

 _If you start liking the feeling of power too much, you'll be corrupted, Elsa._ Elsa remembered only too well when she'd experienced her own dark side being 'in charge' while under the influence of that odd serum. That her magic had felt _good._ Amazing, even. It had tingled and thrummed through her as if she were flying, on top of the world. It wasn't just flowing calmly through her body, held back in its cage of flesh and bone. It was more like a wild river or avalanche, excited, powerful, and ready to go, flowing with all the _calm_ of a waterfall pouring off a sheer cliff.

 _I'm_ terrified _of genuinely testing my limits._

Anna quite liked the idea of her big sister being a goddess and she herself Elsa's right-hand person. But she knew quite well Elsa was disturbed by it, so she just said, "Let's go eat dinner."

* * *

"Anna, may I...ask you something?" Elsa asked later after dinner in their shared guest room. The others had all already gone to sleep in their own rooms, but Elsa lay awake thinking, and Anna was half asleep on her own bed.

"Mmm...sure," Anna said sleepily, and sat up. She lit a candle and set it on the nightstand between the beds. "Shoot. I'm listening."

Elsa was still lying down, holding her hands in front of her face and studying them, as if that might reveal all the mysteries of her magic. "What if mastering my powers...corrupts me somehow?" she asked so quietly Anna could barely hear her.

"That's not you. That wouldn't happen," Anna said confidently. "You're not some power-hungry villain. You've always tried so hard to hold it back. I think it'd be _good_ for you to master your magic. Maybe you'd feel better."

Elsa dropped her hands and turned on her side, away from Anna. "That's just it. I don't know anything else other than holding it back. It's actually Papa that unintentionally made me realize it, asking if I depleted my magic every time I used it. I use it now. But I never, ever purposely push my limits if I can help it. What if some weird subconscious thing is keeping me from pushing said limits? Is that why I passed out in the troll caverns? Was I _still_ holding back even then?" She hesitated before admitting, "I'm scared of what I might be capable of. What if I become the very thing I've always feared I was by mastering it?"

"But Elsa-" Anna hopped up and came over to Elsa when she heard a muffled 'a monster' and Elsa sniffling. She didn't say a word, just gave Elsa a hug and waited for her to continue. But Elsa stayed quiet and didn't say anything else. "You're not a monster just because you have god-tier powers, Elsa. That's silly."

Elsa took a deep shuddering breath before answering. "It's not that, actually. It's...the _ordinary_ part of me," she said slowly. _How do I even explain this? Anna will just keep saying she believes in me and that I'm being paranoid. She won't understand._

Anna frowned. "I'm sorry, but I don't understand. You're saying you think the so-called 'normal' part of you, the ordinary human part, not your magic, is the monster? Why? All you do is try to make others happy and safe, even if it hurts you. If that's a monster, then I hope I'm one too!"

Elsa sat up and pulled away, her blue eyes bright with tears. "No, Anna. I don't even know how to explain myself, but...you won't realize it, but I'm not the girl you think I am. I get _so scared_ sometimes. Sometimes it _hurts._ I want it to stop. I'm not strong like you. That ordinary human part of me would _love_ something to make her feel stronger. I don't want to be corrupted by power." She hesitated again. "I think of that pitiful creature that could _never_ speak up for herself. Never fight back or make a fuss. Stuff the fear and hurt and anger away, Elsa. Stuff the power you _do_ have away, Elsa. Stay in your self-made cage, Elsa. You're nothing, Elsa. You need to do the right thing, Elsa. You don't deserve anything better, Elsa. I _hate_ her. She makes me feel sick!" Elsa's palms crackled with frost as she spoke, and she balled her hands into fists. Tears trickled down her cheeks, and she shakily stood up before losing her balance because of her leg and falling against Anna. "I'm _still_ holding back now, and I'm so tired of it!"

Anna just hugged her tightly. _What do I tell her? She's not panicked. She's just frustrated and angry with herself. I don't even understand why Elsa is saying she thinks her ordinary not-magic self is the monster. Wait..._ "If you knew it wouldn't harm anything or anyone, what would you do right now? Theoretically."

 _Scream. Scream and let my magic run free. Make a horrible raging storm. Build a fortress and let something explode. Then get rid of it and just sleep._ "You don't want to know," came Elsa's cryptic reply.

"Try me. Elsa, you've seen me angry and frustrated. I'm not going to judge you."

Elsa smiled a bit at that and sat next to her sister, her hands folded primly in her lap. "Yelling and throwing pillows or whatever is harmless, though," she pointed out.

"Yeah, but I said _theoretically._ I didn't say actually explode a building or make a raging winter storm or whatever dramatic thing you're thinking." Anna nodded in satisfaction when Elsa abruptly snapped her gaze to her hands and then back to Anna. "Your magic wants to do something violent and explosive when you're angry and frustrated, right? Not because of some literal horrible pressure like when you have a panic attack or something, either. Just because it would feel good. I mean, I know it's tied to your emotions. Obviously that's what it wants."

Elsa nodded shyly.

"Why does that make you bad? Those are normal emotions. Can't you seal this room with your impenetrable ice and just go nuts to your heart's content and explode all you like? And seriously, the other things you said...I know you, Elsa. Your power isn't going to corrupt you. I can't ever understand everything you went through in that room, but...don't you think wanting to be stronger now is also normal? That doesn't mean you're obsessed with power." Anna didn't wait for an answer before barreling on. "Also, you _did_ explain everything to Mom and Dad and Uncle Thomas and Aunt Primrose without me here. You did good."

"That was terrifying. I was so relieved when you popped in, and then you made me talk more!" Elsa was keenly aware that she sounded quite contradictory-she wanted to be stronger and yet she also wanted Anna to talk for her. _That makes no sense._

Anna's blue-green eyes twinkled. "No I didn't. You chose to do that. I just decided to wait and see if you needed me to speak up for you or if you'd talk yourself. I really, really wanted to say something right away. But you'd explained what happened yourself already, so I knew you could do it. The question was would you." She held Elsa's hand and turned it palm up. "Make your snowflake."

Elsa gave Anna a quizzical look but did as she was told. Elsa's signature snowflake glowed faintly blue as it hovered over her hand.

"I just want you to realize something that you still seem to not get. I love this Elsa, the magical Snow Queen one. The sparkly warrior, the instinctive ice palace architect." Anna reached for Elsa's hand and held it, heedless of any potentially dangerous cold the magic might cause. Instantly Elsa's magic retreated, leaving just her cool bare hand in her decidedly not magical sister's hand. "But I also love the other Elsa, the ordinary girl that doesn't speak up for herself easily, that's still hurting sometimes. You said you didn't need anyone else's acceptance and love as long as you had mine. Well that's not true. You need _yours."_

"How can I love something that is... _that_? How can I ever be strong enough to protect my family-or my country-when I can't even protect myself from...myself? There is this horrible dichotomy where half of me is too powerful to exist and the other half is too weak." Elsa's words felt completely true to her. However much she accepted _just plain Elsa_ , it would not change who she was. She would still be the young woman with the magic power levels off the charts and the anxiety and hurt that ate at her often. Not _all_ the time, but often.

But Anna only gave her a small smile and squeezed her hand. "They should balance each other out then," she said simply, as if this were the most obvious solution in the world. When Elsa stayed quiet and just gave her an incredulous look, Anna tried to explain what she meant. "Elsa, in your mind, isn't your anxiety and the things that hurt you exactly why you _don't_ want to get corrupted because of all that magical power? Or heck, your political power, for that matter? I'm not saying hurting you was okay, because it was most definitely NOT, but maybe those awful emotions of feeling weak or scared or powerless or whatever else make you all the more that you don't want to inflict those feelings on someone else with all the power you _do_ have. Am I making any sense at all...?"

Elsa nodded. This actually kind of did make sense to her in an odd sort of way. Not completely by any means, but it did give her something to hold on to that actually had some logic, even if it was flawed. _I hate things that don't make sense._

"And you _need_ to tell someone when you start inwardly smack talking yourself! You don't have to be afraid or deal with it on your own. You know that!"

Elsa shook her head. "It's...not like that. Not anymore-you helped me fix that. More like she's always there in the background, just not up front saying those things anymore. There's nothing for me to talk about now, Anna, even if I want to," she said quietly. "I'm sorry. I'm not angry with our parents. I love them. I'm angry with _me_ for not being able to just completely move on. I can be happy and content one moment and then my mind goes, _remember that? What was wrong with you?_ or whatever. It is _not_ something that...that, I don't know, torments me every minute. It's just _there._ "

"Give yourself a break! You have more yucky memories than good ones. Of course that happens. Doesn't make you weak or bad," Anna said firmly, then yawned.

Elsa's gaze turned flinty. "Look, I don't know how to _give myself a break._ I want a break from being me. That's what I want, as selfish as it sounds. I like my job. That I can handle. That I can do properly. I'm a good writer. I can write documents well. But I get so, so tired of dealing with, well, me, even with your help. I can't imagine how you deal with it." _Am I talking too much now? I don't want to put more burden on Anna. I need to be quiet and go to sleep so Anna can sleep._ Elsa curled back up under the covers and told Anna she should go to sleep.

"Elsa, I don't just 'deal with' you. I want to be here for you. It's not a burden for me. I wanna make up for lost time from when we were kids. You know that," Anna told her, her voice barely a whisper. "I wish I could heal you. I really, really do."

"But...you _do_. Every day." _It's just there is a lot. I feel a million times better than last year._ Elsa knew quite well that her little sister meant mentally and emotionally, not physically. "Anna, also, you cannot tell me I wasn't a burden in Dover. Quite literally, I might add. I didn't know how to control Linnae, and it could have killed us."

Anna pushed Elsa over and flopped down next to her. "Nah. Carrying you made good exercise," she teased, which made Elsa smile and then give her a slightly annoyed look. "Seriously though, we're _here._ We're safe. Sure, things turned out badly, but because of a mistake, we got information about those white trolls that we wouldn't have had otherwise. We even got a weapon that can hurt them. Right?" _I'm not telling her how scared I was, or that I was worried we'd be stuck there. No no no._

"My mistakes have huge repercussions, Anna. I have to be perfect, so I don't put you or anyone else in danger," Elsa said quietly. "I have to. You should have just left me there. I'm extremely grateful that you didn't-you made me so happy-but you should have all the same."

"Elsa..."

"I should have bailed with you off Linnae the second we were in that train tunnel. But I didn't trust myself enough to do it. I thought I'd kill us."

Anna considered this a moment. "Well, I don't agree with the first part. I'm _never_ leaving you behind anywhere if I can help it. The second part I agree with now, but really Elsa, I didn't suggest it myself, either. Didn't even think of it. Besides, Linnae was being weird. She could've ended up dragging us in anyway. You can't blame yourself for making the theoretically safer decision of _not_ bailing."

"I'm still a little scared of my own power, but thank you for making me realize that...that even my dark side is not some evil thing. I know what I need to do when we get back home to Arendelle," Elsa said now as she sat up and blew out the candle.

"What?"

"Take the rock trolls' mirror test on my own terms over and over until I've mastered my powers. I do not like or trust them, but I think I have to practice there." Elsa quickly fell asleep next to Anna, feeling warm and safe and _loved_. Anna had given her so many second chances. She would not waste them.

* * *

Elsa awoke in the morning feeling refreshed and much less worried and anxious than she had the night before. _Thanks, Anna._ Blue and green summer dresses in the Corona style Rapunzel usually wore lay at the foot of the bed that hadn't been there when she and Anna had fallen asleep, and Elsa was a bit disturbed that someone had been in the room while they slept. She quickly put her brace back on her bad leg and got up. _A note. Oh, it's from Rapunzel. Okay. "_ Hi cousins, these are for you guys since I figured you didn't bring more clothes with you. Come meet me in the library when you're ready, Love, Punzie," Elsa read to herself.

Elsa mulled over what could possibly be in the library as she pulled on the blue dress and then brushed her hair with an ice-comb. The blue dress mostly fit fine, though it was a little shorter on Elsa than it probably was on Rapunzel, since she was a bit taller than her cousin. Elsa looked at herself in the mirror. _I feel like an impostor in this. It is pretty, though._ Then, thinking that Gerda and Kai were probably worried back home in Arendelle, she quickly wrote short notes saying she and Anna were okay and safe in Corona for now and would be home soon, and sent two ice-birds out the window. Now her surrogate parents would not be worried. "Anna, wake up. Rapunzel wants to meet us in the library," Elsa said now, gently shaking Anna's shoulder.

Anna rolled over and told Elsa to go back to sleep.

"Anna, please? You could nap later. Rapunzel was nice enough to help us. The least we can do is meet her in the library." Elsa shook Anna's shoulder again and then dropped snow on her.

Anna yelped and sat up to see Elsa looking amused, her arms crossed, clearly impatient. "You great big snow-making stinker! Hey, that's pretty. Where'd you get that dress? It doesn't look like one of your ice ones," Anna said curiously. Then she noticed the green one on the bed. "Punzie, right? Cool." She hopped up and went behind the dressing screen in the corner, dress in hand. "What do you think she wants to talk about?"

"I don't know. Probably something about the Dover incident and what to do next." Elsa rubbed her sore arm and sighed. _I don't want to be in the League of Seven. I don't want Anna anywhere near it._

"Will you brush my hair?" Anna asked hopefully, smoothing the green dress as she came back out from behind the screen.

Elsa nodded. "But you have to tell me if your head gets cold. I did mine with this." Elsa held up the comb she'd made.

Anna giggled. "Cool. Pun intended."

* * *

A few minutes later, the two sisters were in the library with Rapunzel and Olive, sitting around a table with pancakes and milk for breakfast. "So. There's a magic book in here with _League of Seven_ on the spine, written in runes. No one can pull it off the shelf, and I was the only one that could see it. Probably since I have magic," Rapunzel launched right into her reason for inviting the other three girls to the library. "I don't know if Anna or I are part of it, but we know Olive and Elsa are. So, I'm thinking, maybe one of you can pull it out. There could be information in it that could help us."

"You and Anna are part of it," Elsa muttered, clearly displeased. Olive and Rapunzel looked at her quizzically and gave Anna a look that clearly said they didn't believe Elsa. Elsa's expression turned stony. "Don't look at Anna like that," she ordered sharply.

"But she's not a mage," Olive pointed out, not meanly, just in a matter-of-fact way. "Why the heck would Anna be one of the seven?"

Elsa stood up from her seat and glared daggers at Olive, ignoring the ice forming beneath her feet. "I believe she is the glue meant to hold the other six together, _because_ she is not magical," she said in her queen voice, the one that tended to unnerve people sometimes.

Rapunzel hesitated and twirled a bit of hair around her finger. She did not know Olive well enough to read her personality much, just that she was quieter than herself and Anna, but more talkative than Elsa. Elsa, on the other hand...she was often quiet, but oh boy if she got mad she would _really_ be mad. And she was very defensive about Anna, like Anna was about her. "Elsa, I thought you didn't want Anna to be part of this," she said carefully. _Just because Anna helps Elsa control her powers doesn't mean Anna is part of this...thing..._

"I don't. But don't either of you dare underestimate her just because she is normal." Elsa sat back down and went back to eating her breakfast.

Anna squirmed in her seat, suddenly all too aware that she was the only one of the four girls that _didn't_ have powers of some kind. _Wait...this is probably how_ Elsa _feels ordinarily. That she doesn't fit in. She lives feeling like that all the time._ She gulped some milk and scooted her chair closer to Elsa's. It was not a nice feeling, and Anna wished she could change that.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you," Olive apologized, genuinely sorry.

Elsa calmly took another bite of pancakes. "You don't owe me an apology." A sip of milk. "You owe my sister an apology."

 _They remind me of me and my brother,_ Olive thought. She did not feel remotely offended; defending your sibling was something she easily understood. Still, she made a mental note to maybe not be quite so casual around the two Arendelle sisters. They might be strange for royals, but still, she had no wish to offend a powerful ice mage that also happened to have absolute power as reigning monarch of her country.

"Why don't we just look at the book?" Anna suggested. "Or, you guys look at the book or whatever."

Rapunzel hopped up and pointed out the book on its high shelf. As she touched it, it became visible. Olive came over and tried yanking it out. No luck. Elsa walked over, pulling Anna with her. "May I try?"

"Duh yes!" Rapunzel was only too happy to let Elsa try.

Anna cheered when Elsa was able to move the mysterious book a few inches. "Try again, Elsa! You can do it."

Elsa looked at the others and then the book. "Maybe we all need to touch it..." she said slowly. _I cannot pull it out by myself. At least not now..._ She made a short icy stepladder so all of them could reach to touch the book at once.

Anna watched excitedly but hung back as the three mages tried pulling the book out. She bounced on her toes. "Come on, guys, pull it out! I'm so excited to see what's in it! Or on it!" she exclaimed.

"It's...not...coming...out!" Olive said, grunting as she yanked and pulled on the book.

Elsa stepped down from her spot on the stepladder and headed straight for Anna. _I think we need Anna. I don't know why, I just do._ "Olive, Rapunzel, let Anna try," she said now.

"But Elsa, I can't even see the book when you guys aren't-"

"I don't care. Please just humor me." Elsa steered her little sister over to the stepladder and watched as Anna touched the book. It stayed invisible, as when none of the mages were touching it, and Elsa sighed. _I know it has something to do with Anna. I'm positive._

"This isn't working," Anna pointed out unnecessarily, but then she was struck by an idea. "What about...all four of us?"

The four girls exchanged glances. Touched the book. Tried yanking it out like they had before.

"...Oh!" Anna let out a startled squeak when the book easily slid out this time, right into their hands.

Elsa looked like she wanted to say _I told you so,_ but she stayed quiet. _I knew we needed Anna._

 **A/N: Well, Elsa and Anna are safe for the time being! They'll get home-home to Arendelle next chapter most likely.:)**

 **Next chapter coming soon! This is MantaI-305Apollo'sChariot signing off for now, over and out!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who's followed/favorited and/or is reading but not reviewing:)**

 **IndyGirl89~Anna IS a _carrier_ of magic like Elsa's-ie, her future children or children's children could possibly have magic like Elsa's-but that's it. Anna is an ordinary human girl, really. She does not have magic of her own, and while she could be a good spokesperson, she won't be able to help other mages besides Elsa control their magic. Anna's "power of love" ability only works for Elsa, obviously; Rapunzel's point that just because Anna helps Elsa with her powers doesn't mean she's one of the Seven is quite valid:) (I mean, the other mages besides Rapunzel don't even know her...) However, the League of Seven book recognizes _something_ about Anna that's very important that the characters don't know yet. (And no I'm not giving Anna powers lol:P) Yay I'm glad you liked it!_ I liked writing that scene:)**

 **Elsa Tomago~Elsa still really hates doing things like that (ESPECIALLY without Anna there!), but I wanted to show that she can now.:) Agdar knows he did not do the right things and that he hurt her, and he is _trying_ to do better, but Elsa's magic still scares him. Hopefully that makes sense. And yes, of course Elsa won't get corrupted by power, but the idea still deeply disturbs her because she knows it would be Very Bad for everyone should that immense amount of power get used for the wrong reasons or in the wrong way. What Elsa does need is a lot of practice:)**

 **On to the story!**

"Oh my. Oh my goodness! I HELPED! Elsa, I _helped_!" Anna began jumping up and down and shouting excitedly.

A guard in the hallway looked in the library to see what the commotion was about. "Any trouble, Princess Rapunzel?"

"Nope, my friends and I are just happy," Rapunzel said quickly. The guard nodded and went back into the hallway.

Elsa poked Anna trying to make her be quiet. Anna hugged the League of Seven book to her chest; now that it was out, she could see it even though none of the mages were touching it. She was more than a little amused by Elsa's clear _I told you so_ expression. _Elsa doesn't want me to be part of this, but she's still making that face. Wait, what if the other five members besides me and Elsa don't want me in it? And, what if Elsa_ is _right? She acted like she thought I was the_ leader _._ _Other mages besides Elsa might not like that. And, Olive is right. Why would I be one of the members? It doesn't make sense._ "Ummm. Here, Olive," Anna said now, offering the book to the other girl.

Olive set the book on the table and tried to open it. "It won't even open," she said, clearly frustrated.

"Ooh, there's a sun on the cover! And more runes...let me try!" Rapunzel exclaimed excitedly.

Elsa tugged Anna over to the table and just stared at the book. _That's not Corona's sunburst symbol, though._ Sure enough, Rapunzel couldn't open it either. "Those symbols are hollow," she said slowly. "Maybe we need to put something in them to open the book."

Anna, who had read lots of fantasy adventure books as a child, immediately had an idea. "Maybe blood pools in them," she suggested, her stomach filled with butterflies and excitement. This was cool! She didn't have magic and she got to be part of this deliciously scary magic sleuthing. "The runes say 'one who leads' and...Elsa, what's this one?"

Elsa looked. "Closest translation is 'strongest wielder of magic'," she said softly. Like her father had concluded by knowing this magic book had _runes_ of all things on it-and ones she and Anna could read easily-Elsa had a feeling that this thing had originally been from or in Arendelle at some point. Either that, or it was so old it was from what had existed before Arendelle was founded. _Is that...me? Obviously not necessarily, I mean this League of Seven thing exists every generation, and there is certainly not an Arendelle person born every generation with my powers...What if it really is meant to fail every time until now, and it "knows" about Anna and me? What if it's_ meant _to be two Arendelle siblings?_

Olive stared at her own hands, then Elsa's. _Elsa's magic is stronger than mine. She has a lot of raw power she just hasn't been trained to use..._ "It's Elsa," she said flatly. "Either it's Elsa or a mage we haven't found yet. Definitely not me or Rapunzel."

"Am I the leader, since it's got the sun symbol?" Rapunzel asked hopefully.

Elsa stayed quiet. A bit of her was delighted with the knowledge that there were _multiple_ other people out there just like her; another bit held the deliciously scary fear of being part of this. But mostly she was just scared-in the bad way-for Anna. If she wasn't magical, her precious baby sister would not be associated with this dangerous thing. _If something happens to Anna, it will be my fault. Again._ The two lines of the poem that disturbed her the most ran through her mind again.

 _A loved one's demise may be inevitable,_

 _But vengeance only leads to trouble._

That _loved one_ had to be Anna, in Elsa's mind. What if her little sister died putting her life on the line to protect her, again? What if Anna's love and loyalty wasn't enough to save herself again? Elsa wrapped her arms around her middle, hugging herself. _Anna sacrificed herself to save me last summer. I had done absolutely nothing for her-I_ hurt _her, I froze her!-and still she saved me._ She could still remember every detail of that minute when she had thought Anna was dead. But most of all, Anna's _eyes._ Elsa's snowflake in Anna's always happy, reassuring blue-green eyes, and Anna had frozen with that horrible look of fear in her eyes. That she would be too late to save her broken, defeated older sister. The eyes and the fact that she could finally touch Anna because all the harm had already been done. Anna was already ice and so touching her couldn't hurt her _more._

 _I can't lose her again. I can't let her die because of what I am._

Elsa felt like the walls of the library were somehow closing in on her, or that the horrid book would gobble her up and make her lose control. Ice gripped her heart and tingled unpleasantly to her fingers, the inner storm stirring uneasily, out of its normal calm reverie. Elsa scrunched her eyes shut and backed away a few steps. _Stop it, Elsa. Don't do this. Just don't._

 _I'm trying. I...can't. It hurts._ Unlike many, many other times Elsa had started to panic, this time her magic felt more sad and squashed in her chest, as if she were crushing it into submission, rather than building up all that awful pressure forcing her to eventually explode if she didn't calm down. _I should just leave,_ she thought absently. _I don't want the others seeing me right now and I feel like crying._

 _Anna. Anna should have left me. She should have let me die. She should have-_ Elsa felt herself back into the bookshelves. Hard. Something crashed noisily to the floor.

Elsa wondered if it was her. Falling into oblivion. No. It was books. She had knocked some books down.

 _I have to protect Anna._

She took a deep breath. _I'm fine. Anna and I don't have to do this._ Elsa closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing so she could calm down.

 _Stop it, Elsa. Don't disappoint her._

Some footsteps moved away and faded down the hall outside the library. An Anna-shape wrapped something warm and comforting around her and just quietly held her close without a word.

 _ice...ice receding and the storm is turning to clouds and Anna is not dead and the magic will be okay and I'm not all alone anymore and I have not hurt Anna again once was enough it will be okay there is nothing crushing the magic anymore the League of Seven isn't mandatory I don't have to put Anna in danger again I feel safe now because Anna is here and-_

"Hey, we don't have to do this if you don't want to, Elsa." Anna's soft, reassuring voice broke into Elsa's racing thoughts, mirroring Elsa's own realization. "You know that, right?"

Elsa didn't answer, but she slowly nodded. She _did_ know that. _I just...feel like I have to. But Anna is more important than anything to me. I would do anything to protect her._ Elsa felt herself being tugged toward one of the library sofas, and she didn't resist. Anna was there, and as long as Anna was there and alive and safe, everything was fine.

"I told Rapunzel and Olive to leave for awhile, just so you know," Anna told her now.

Elsa nodded again; then gulped and just said, "Thank you." She glanced at the table where that League of Seven book still lay, and then pointedly turned away. _I want to go home. I want to leave that...thing here, send Olive home, and go back to Arendelle._ Elsa's damaged leg ached because she'd gotten so upset, but she ignored it. That was not a concern at the moment.

Anna was quiet for a minute. She knew something having to do with that book had set Elsa off, but she wasn't entirely sure what. "Do you wanna talk about it?" Anna asked. Elsa was no longer freezing to touch, and the snowflakes were floating calmly around her now, but Anna knew the older girl was still unhappy and worried about something.

"I can't put you in danger _again._ I just can't." Elsa hesitated, her hands clutching the soft fluffy blanket Anna had wrapped around her. It felt nice against her sensitive fingers. "I... _want_ to master my magic now. That helps protect you. But..." she trailed off, unsure whether to say more. _I don't want us to be part of this! If I could do it myself without putting Anna in danger, I would. But if I agree to this, I'm risking sentencing Anna to death. And really, both of us have a responsibility in Arendelle. That is first priority, not this._

 _"_ Oh, Elsa, _you_ wouldn't be putting me in danger again. It's my choice!" Anna was happy to hear her sister say she _wanted_ to master her magic, but she still didn't quite understand what had made Elsa so worried and anxious. She was _still_ tense, and her big blue eyes looked sad and frightened.

"Your _choice,_ like last summer?" Elsa shot back sharply. "You had no way of knowing you would thaw! You just blindly chose to save me!" _For no good reason,_ her mind thought darkly. _Elsa, stop it. Anna loves you. That's why she did it, and you know it._ "What if...what if something happens to you again, and it _doesn't_ all work out nicely like a fairy tale?"

"I chose, because I love you and I was not not _not_ letting you die like that, thinking nobody cared. I wanted you to have a chance to live!" Anna jumped to her feet, her eyes bright with tears, even as she put her hands on her hips and stared Elsa right in the face. "That was NOT a blind choice! It was just, saving you was more important to me than getting my true love's kiss from Kristoff." Elsa seemed to shrink into her blanket, but Anna didn't notice this time. "Though I do remember vaguely wondering why you didn't, like, I don't know, make Hans fall through the ice or something. You weren't moving. At least I don't think so, everything was turning all weirdly blue and frozen, no pun intended, heh heh..." _Maybe I shouldn't have said that, if I tell Elsa how I felt then I'll make her cry. I don't wanna make her cry again._ "So anyways," she backtracked a bit, "anyways, I thought maybe you were hurt and couldn't."

"I wasn't hurt," Elsa muttered. "I mean, I suppose technically I was-I'd been knocked out by that chandelier before-but that was the _last_ thing on my mind. I didn't want to save myself. Not to be in a world that didn't have you in it because of me." She hesitantly glanced up at Anna, who was just standing there giving her a hopeful look. _Anna was hurting. She has never told me much about the whole freezing-to-death experience, but it must have been awful._

"I know that now, but it was _still_ MY CHOICE. Elsa, get it through your head. I'm always gonna choose to help you. Always. It's got nothing to do with your unhealthy I-deserve-this thought processes. It means, Anna helps Elsa because she loves her sister, she would prefer to not be dead or hurt doing so, but it won't change any decisions she makes." Anna pointed at Elsa's brace on her leg. " _You_ did the same thing to save me and ended up permanently injured. Would knowing whether you'd live or die or be hurt have changed what you did?"

Elsa shook her head. "Of course not. Though, if that happened _now,_ I know I could have broken free before anything bad happened in the first place." _So, by extension, that incident was my fault too, since I didn't know enough about my magic to get out..._

Anna did not like the expression on her sister's face. "Quit it! Now you're thinking that's your fault too!" she scolded. "And, really, Elsa, don't you dare tell me I made a blind choice to save you. That makes me mad. 'Cause it really wasn't. Do you think that what you did to save me when you ended up hurt was a blind choice?"

 _"_ No. You are much more important to me than my own life or the risk of getting myself injured. I just did the only thing I knew to at the time that would protect you." _I_ _don't want to make Anna mad at me. Yet she doesn't understand that some things_ are _my fault, and it's not just me being...me._ Elsa stood up and began slowly folding the fluffy blanket Anna had wrapped around her. "You need to accept that some things _are_ my fault. You cannot just justify every mistake I make," she said quietly. "I appreciate everything you do for me, but like I told you before, mistakes I make are _costly-_ like with Linnae, or freezing Arendelle. I cannot afford them. I cannot put Arendelle in danger or...or lose you." Elsa looked Anna right in the face as she added, "Doing this League of Seven mess puts you in direct and dire danger. It takes both of us away from our first responsibility-to Arendelle. I love you, and selfishly, I will die if something happens to you. I know that. I will have nothing more to do with it. Should more information arise that proves otherwise, I will reconsider. But for now, I wash my hands of it."

"But Elsa-"

"No. My answer is no," Elsa interrupted firmly. She took a deep breath and grabbed the League of Seven book to put it back on the shelf. "Ow!" Elsa yelped as something sharp on the book's cover pricked her thumb, and she dropped the book back onto the table. _What the...?_ She frowned as a single bead of blood dripped into one of the two hollow symbols on the cover. _I refuse to do this. No._

Anna grabbed Elsa's hand as she turned to leave. "Elsa, let's look in it. Maybe there's information that could help us," she suggested hopefully.

"I said no!"

Anna jumped at Elsa's harsh tone-for her-but she nodded. "All right. You don't have to," she assured Elsa. _Okay, I don't want to set Elsa off again. I'd rather her be happy and okay and not do this than do this and be scared and not okay._

"...I'm sorry for snapping at you." Elsa's quiet apology made Anna quite sure that Elsa was more scared than angry. This was true; Elsa's instincts told her she must get Anna away from that book. She took Anna by the hand and pulled her out of the library. _I_ will _protect her. I don't care what happens to me, but I must do everything in my power to keep her safe._

"It's okay!" Anna wasn't upset with her one bit, but she did wish Elsa would change her mind. Still, she had promised to support Elsa whatever she decided about this, so she didn't press it further. If Elsa wanted to just master her magic for herself and stay at home, Anna wasn't going to pressure her otherwise.

"This is going to sound strange, but I think I'd like to talk to Papa about this. He may not like magic, but he will also probably be the most picky and exacting about...this. Papa loves you dearly, so if he thinks I can do this without hurting you...I...I think I would believe him." Elsa didn't add that there were other things she wanted to talk to him about, because she knew Anna would tell her it was silly.

"He'll tell us to go home, Elsa. Dad doesn't like _your_ magic, why would he want us dealing with _more_ magic that's even stronger than yours?" Anna hesitated before adding, "I think you just want approval and confirmation that you're making the right decision because you know he will probably agree with you." _And that's not something I want Elsa to copy from Dad. He may be being nicer to her and I know he cares, but he's still scared of her magic. I don't want him encouraging Elsa's fear about the whole League of Seven thing._

"...maybe. But I still just want to talk to him anyways, about something else also." Elsa glanced at Anna. "...Is that okay?"

Anna squeezed Elsa's hand as they continued down the hall. "Of course it's okay. I'm just worried he might make you sad. I hate seeing you upset."

"I can't _promise_ I won't get upset, but I think I would be fine, honestly," Elsa answered carefully, trying her best to be completely open about it. She searched Anna's face for any sign that she didn't believe her, but Anna just smiled and nodded and told her okay. "Thank you for believing me."

"I can tell when you're trying to hide how you feel and you aren't doing that right now," Anna said simply. "I'll be waiting for you out in the stables, okay? Punzie is gonna show me Maximus."

Elsa gave Anna a hug and nodded before going off to find her father.

* * *

She found him in the guest room he and Idun were staying in. _Predictable enough,_ Elsa thought to herself as she knocked lightly on the doorframe.

Agdar jumped from where he was sitting reading a book. "Oh, hello, Elsa. Did you...want something?"

Elsa stayed standing in the doorway waiting to be invited in. "May I talk to you about something important?" _Please don't tell me to leave._

"...Of course. Elsa, you can come in, you don't have to stand over there," Agdar told her. He gestured to the chair on the other side of the end table.

Elsa sat.

Agdar looked at Elsa, waiting for her to say something.

Elsa clasped her hands in her lap nervously. _Say something, Elsa. Come on._ "I...um...Papa, did you tell me _conceal don't feel_ when I was little because you do that yourself and you thought it would help me with the magic none of us understood?" she blurted after a minute.

 _Be honest. Elsa deserves that._ "Elsa, I...don't know. I suppose probably. I didn't know what to do with you. You scared me, honestly," Agdar said slowly.

Elsa looked down and squeezed her hands together so hard she dug her nails into the skin. "It was an accident," she said softly. _I never lost control or hurt anyone before that. Goodness knows Anna has pointed out I_ didn't _lose control when the accident happened, I just...couldn't keep up with little Anna jumping._

"Elsa, you never said what happened. What were-"

Elsa's blue eyes snapped to her father. "Papa, you _didn't ask me._ You _never_ asked me. I didn't...I couldn't...say...anything. I felt like neither you nor Mama would believe me if I did. I wanted Anna to be okay, so I just...trusted you to make her be safe." She hesitated and bit her lip. _I wanted to do this. Come on, me. Don't clam up and not say things._ "And I was...scared. I wanted to make you proud of me so you would like me better, and I messed up. I thought you and Mama might give me away if I made a fuss."

"I would _never_ have given you away, Elsa!"

Elsa stood up and went to look out the window. "I know that now, but I was eight. I just knew I was not good enough and I had ruined everything and hurt the one person I knew that actually _loved_ what made me different. Anna might have been little and a pest and loud and obnoxious, but she always made me feel all warm and happy inside. She..." Elsa trailed off as she turned to look at her father. "It probably sounds selfish, but you took away the only thing that let me control it. With no Anna, I didn't have...anything to...fix it..." _Please don't chase me away or fuss at me. I'm trying to be honest and explain myself._

Rather than address that directly, Agdar asked, "What exactly controls your powers? It's not _really_ Anna directly...is it?"

"No, but she is the only person that sees everything wrong or different about me and still just treats me like a normal person. Not the queen or the crown princess, not the weird powerful ice mage, not the cursed girl locked away, not some...horrible thing that shouldn't exist. Anna made me feel loved and genuinely okay in my own skin, and not like I had to be someone else so she would accept me. I can't explain it. I know _love thaws_ , but if I'm terrified or depressed, I can't...make the ice listen. It's like it's screaming for help even as I try to make it stop and keep it inside. The more intense the negative emotions, the more difficult it is to make it stay in and not leak out. Before, all those years of struggling to conceal it and constantly feeling horrible made it impossible to hold _all_ of it in." Elsa cringed and backed up a step, remembering the many times her daddy had fussed at her for making it sound like her magic wanted something or had feelings too. _Too much talking. I'm done._ "I'm sorry-I just don't know how else to explain it..." Even now she could feel the ice tingling in her fingers nervously; it wanted out. Just a little bit. _I should have brought Anna with me, I'm scared and quite honestly I just wish she was standing here next to me even if she wasn't saying anything. Why did I think I could do this alone?_

 _Because you can, Elsa. You can do it and still feel a little anxious. That is not a bad thing._ Elsa felt like her "inner voice" was mirroring things Anna would tell her right now, and it made her happy. "Papa, would...would you have ever put me in my room if I didn't have my powers?" she asked hesitantly.

"Of course not. Why on earth would you think that?" This question confused him; where had Elsa gotten that idea from?

"Because you didn't like me as much as Anna even before I hurt her," came Elsa's simple answer. "It was just the magic? Not the rest of me?" she questioned hopefully. "Not the normal human girl part?" _Elsa, stop. This is ridiculous._

 _No it isn't! I have a right to know, and I won't know if I don't ask._ "And, it would be okay that I look different if I didn't have magic, too?"

"No, we would not have isolated you if you hadn't had your powers." _Elsa really had to ask that? No wonder she acts all cautious around us. She thinks I didn't care about her at all!_ Agdar was unsure how to make Elsa believe otherwise. "And yes, that is completely fine. It doesn't matter what you look like." He paused before adding, "Really, Elsa, you look exactly like your mother, just with lighter complexion and hair. You do know that, right?"

Elsa was clearly relieved to hear this, and she smiled and nodded. "Thank you for telling me." _He doesn't mind the rest of me and he didn't hate little me, either!_ she thought joyfully.

 _"_ Do you think if we hadn't separated you two when you were children, you would have known how to control it all this time, even after the accident?" Agdar asked her, clearly a little hesitant to do so.

Elsa answered instantly. "Yes. I think if Anna and I had been encouraged to just...communicate through the door, even, that it would have been all right." She smiled a little at that thought. "Anna talking to me always would be the highlight of my day. That and the things she stuck under my door. It got a tiny bit easier when she was there. Well, at least until I'd be upset because I couldn't answer and then..." she shrugged. _I don't want to make Papa angry with me. Every time Anna did that or I said anything, weren't we technically being bad?_ "It doesn't matter now. I...I'm sorry we didn't always listen." Elsa jumped in surprise when Agdar came over and awkwardly hugged her; then relaxed. _He's not angry. Good grief, Elsa, stop being so jumpy and fidgety. You are fine. He's not going to chase you away now._

"Don't apologize for that, Elsa. You were always a good girl. I know we didn't...treat you that way. I am very sorry. What do you need your mother and me to do for you now?"

Elsa shook her head and clasped her hands behind her back again, but she was smiling now, even though she wasn't really looking her father in the eye and was more looking at the floor. "I don't need anything," she replied, her voice soft but sure. "I can see you're trying and that you _do_ care, even if you are scared of my powers still. That is enough." _And I'm not lying to myself now, either. I have Anna and that is plenty. Sure, I wish Papa wasn't scared of me, but it's all right._ "I have Anna and she's enough."

 _"_ Not anything, Elsa?" Agdar wished he knew how to read Elsa the way Anna did; she seemed fine but she also had appeared fine to him before when she most definitely was not.

"Well, I do want one thing," Elsa said shyly. "...Is it okay to ask about that League of Seven...thing? Please? I want your opinion on something." _That's what I really wanted to ask._

Agdar hesitantly reached out and lifted Elsa's chin so she wasn't looking down at the floor anymore. "Elsa, I won't hurt you again. Please don't feel like you have to look at the floor like that. And, go ahead. Though you must know you and your sister probably know more about it than I do." _Why would she want to ask about that, of all things?_ Elsa puzzled him; why would she want to ask his opinion about _anything,_ let alone something related to her magic?

 _I didn't even realize I was looking at the floor again. That used to make Papa scold me before._ Elsa couldn't help feeling shocked at _not_ being fussed at for that, but she didn't say anything about it. _"_...Did Anna tell you about the League of Seven poem?" Elsa was unsurprised when her dad shook his head, and she quickly shared that with him. _Goodness knows it is burned into my head at this point. I'm so worried about Anna._ "I'm scared something will happen to Anna if I go through with it," she said quietly. "Forget _me_ being dangerous, that poem makes it sound like some _other_ thing would hurt or-or kill her."

"What makes you so sure that your sister is the person meant in that poem? Perhaps it has nothing to do with her at all. Also, no one can make you research this or do any of it at all. You can always choose to return home and just leave it. You have zero obligation to bother with it; it's not your responsibility." Agdar hesitated as another thought struck him. _But, Elsa has all of that power, disturbing or not. Perhaps this is the reason she was born like that. Maybe Elsa is_ supposed _to help with whatever this mission is._ "Elsa...do you honestly think that you have the power to stop these strange creatures we don't know much about?"

"I don't know, honestly. Maybe if I knew more about my magic and theirs." Elsa paused, her expression clearly pensive. _Papa is actually trying to help me. I'm surprised..._ She looked down at her hands and bit her lip. "I have told Anna this. I will say it again. There is half of me that is too strong to exist and half of me that is too weak to exist. I..." _Anna said it didn't matter. She didn't care and she said it would just balance each other out._

 _"_ I'm very sorry, Elsa, but I am not sure I understand what you mean by that," Agdar replied slowly. _I really don't know Elsa. Not the way Anna does, and I_ saw _Elsa all of those years._ It was painfully obvious to him now that there was a _lot_ he did not know about his older daughter. He decided he would ask Anna about this later if Elsa did not explain herself now. "Why don't you, er...master your powers and just decide on getting involved with this legend thing later on? Researching it does not mean you _must_ fulfill it." _Elsa must think her parents complete fools. I told her not to use it all her life and now I've told her to go master it. What am I doing? Is this the right thing? It has to be._

Elsa smiled a little, and she felt more at ease hearing that. "I should go practice using that...mirror test in the Valley of the Living Rock, but I don't trust the rock trolls," she said finally, but she was clearly happy to have heard her father _tell_ her to go use her magic. Though she was determined to no longer struggle to earn her parents' approval, she couldn't deny that hearing Agdar say that still meant a _lot_ to her. It made Elsa feel all warm and happy inside. The ice settled happily in her chest and flowed through her pleasantly.

 _Well, that was obviously the right thing to say._ Agdar was relieved to see that his suggestion had helped; Elsa's lopsided smile clearly said that. For once she looked like the happy little kid she had been before the accident and had that expression he had only seen reserved for Anna anytime recently. "There is just one thing: How can you be certain _you_ aren't the one meant to die?"

"I'm not. But that thought doesn't terrify me like losing Anna does. Also, the _a master's fury derived from love should be rued_ line makes me think something horrible will happen to Anna and I will do something bad because I'm angry," Elsa said honestly. She caught her father looking warily at her hands, and she quickly clasped them behind her back, out of sight. "I'm so sorry. I didn't...I'm not...I don't want to scare you, but I'm trying to be honest," she added very quietly. _Elsa, being honest won't help. You know that._

 _Yes, but I won't lie._

"Elsa, I don't believe you would ever purposely do something bad with your powers. You are probably the only person that can have all of that power and not be corrupted by it. That other girl, Olive, isn't as powerful as you are, is she?"

Elsa hesitated. "She has a lot more experience using her magic than I do with mine," she said finally. Even Elsa's limited knowledge of magic told her that her dad was right, but she felt a bit obnoxious to even think it.

Agdar gave her a _seriously?_ look. "That is not what I asked. I mean whatever you people call the raw unmastered power. You _must_ have an absurd amount of raw power, or you would not have been able to escape those white troll creatures you told us about when you had no experience fighting them. Elsa, I don't know how to help you, and I won't pretend to _like_ the magic, but I do know there is something very special about you. Your uncle's ranting showed me that. You are still _you,_ even after the way I treated you. You don't treat others horribly; you don't hold a grudge. You have a pure heart, and that makes you better equipped to handle all of that power, don't you think?"

"I don't know." Again Elsa wished Anna was there. Anna would know what to say. _I feel like now Papa is trying to put me up on some special pedestal. That feels better than treating me like a bother or...or just like a duty, but I don't deserve this either. Does he even know how I feel sometimes? That I_ want _to explode and be angry without hurting anyone? I'm not perfect. I'll never be perfect._ Elsa found herself wondering-again-what she should be doing now that would make her parents happy with her, and she pushed that train of thought away. _I'm not going to do that any more. Come on, Elsa, stop it._ "And...what did Uncle Thomas fuss about?" That idea somehow slightly irritated her; she did not want him ranting at her father on her behalf. To Elsa, Agdar had just made mistakes, and she didn't think it was fair to fuss at him for mistakes.

"Never you mind that. He was right." Though Agdar still was not the biggest fan of hugs, he hugged Elsa tightly. "I do not wish anything bad to happen to you or Anna again. It was very nice of you to come talk. You didn't have to nor have any reason to do so."

Elsa didn't answer that, but she hugged him back. Hugs were nice. They still made her feel all warm and cozy and safe inside. "Will you and Mama...come back to Arendelle to visit sometime soon?" she asked hopefully.

"Do you really want us to?" Agdar asked now. "Idun seems to think we should stay away since you and Anna are happy together on your own now."

Elsa frowned. "Just because I still get anxious when you are around sometimes doesn't mean I want you to stay away. That is just me being...me. If I need to be by myself for awhile, then I will retreat to my room or outside in the gardens or something," she said firmly. "Or the secret passages for that matter."

"You shouldn't have to do that in your own home, Elsa. We made you spend far too long in that room."

 _I have a choice now, Papa. That is not the same thing._ Elsa shrugged. "My room isn't a gilded prison for me anymore. I like my room as long as I can not be in it if I want to, and let Anna in." She smiled as she remembered something else. "I'm not sure if I ever told you or not, but I can remember when I was so sick last Christmas. I couldn't say so but I knew you and Anna and Mama were there at the end. I was happy by then. So thank you." Elsa turned when she heard footsteps coming into the room.

"Hello, Elsa," Idun said, slightly puzzled as to why her older daughter was there, but she wasn't going to question it.

Elsa smiled. "I can go if you were busy..."

"Elsa was just saying she wanted us to come back and visit Arendelle," Agdar said to his wife.

Idun looked at Elsa. "You were?"

Elsa nodded. "I thought maybe we could all go to the Annual Crocus Festival together or something similar." She was not sure how to explain that yes, her parents did make her feel anxious still, but that she also missed them and genuinely wanted to see them. _It doesn't make sense even to me..._

"If that's what you want then that's what you shall have. You and Anna just let us know when you want us there," Idun assured her. She was delighted that Elsa wanted them to come visit, but she had no wish to make Elsa feel anxious all the time or make Anna feel like she needed to protect Elsa every minute. "I believe Rapunzel wanted to show you and Anna and your friends around Corona a bit. They're all out in the stables making a mess and giving a very annoyed Maximus a bath."

Elsa stifled a giggle. "Very well. I shall go find them."

 **A/N: I know not a lot happened this chapter, really, but I wanted Elsa to have a chance to really talk with her father after all this time.**

 **Next chapter: fun hijinks around Corona and returning home for Anna and Elsa:)**

 **This is MantaI-305Apollo'sChariot signing off for now, over and out!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who's followed/favorited and/or is reading but not reviewing!:)**

 **GeekGirl2-I'm glad you enjoyed it! I wanted Elsa and her father to actually _communicate_ properly for once...Elsa herself is better at explaining herself and talking about important things now, and while her dad still doesn't like magic, he does care about her. He just doesn't know what to do with her, really. (Not saying that's okay, obviously, but I wanted the fact that he _does_ care to actually be clear since he has quite honestly treated her like crap in the past./) Elsa's still a little nervous around him but she loves him and her mom, so she still wants them to come back and visit.:)**

 **Elsa Tomago- The catch is they don't even need four. The characters don't know it, but they only need two. However _which_ two is the question.;) They just assumes they needed everyone present to do it lol. One reason Elsa asked Agdar about it is simply because she knows he will tell her the "pessimistic" view of magic and right now she needs that AND Anna's optimism so she can eventually come up with a realistic happy medium, if that makes sense. And she still rather wants his approval even if she claims she's not trying to anymore.:P**

 **IndyGirl89- I thought it was about time that the two of them were able to do that.:) I'm so glad you liked it!**

 **On to the story!**

Elsa found Anna and the others out in the stables giving a very grumpy looking white horse a bath. She did not want to get her dress Rapunzel had let her borrow wet, so she just waved and stayed a safe distance away to watch.

"Hi Elsa! Come help us finish washing Maximus!" Anna shouted happily.

Elsa thought she saw Maximus give her a HELP ME look. She stifled a giggle. "I don't think Maximus wants a bath," she said, clearly amused.

Anna's eyes twinkled as she carried a soapy bucket of water toward Elsa. "Maybe _you_ want a bath," she teased.

"Do _not_ dump that on me!" Elsa exclaimed, but she was laughing.

"Aw, why ever not?! It's just water!" Anna was giggling. Whenever she teased Elsa, she would make sure the older girl wasn't mad or upset, but otherwise teasing Elsa was fun. Right now Elsa was laughing, so Anna knew it was okay to tease her. "Ready?"

"Don't you-" Elsa yelped as Anna tossed the bucket of water towards her, and the water instantly froze into an arch of ice before ever touching her.

"Aw rats." Anna was completely unsurprised. She threw the bucket aside and gave Elsa a hug.

Olive stared, thinking that the ice mage _did_ have good reflexes and reaction time, but not for actual fighting. _Elsa reacted pretty much instantly. But she doesn't really do that when she's fighting...this means she can, though._ "Cool."

Elsa knew Anna was getting her all wet, but she would not push Anna away when she was giving her a hug. Not now, not ever, not unless she thought it was somehow dangerous for Anna to do so.

"Did you have a nice talk with Dad or...?" Anna whispered in Elsa's ear.

"Yes. I told you I'd be fine." Elsa hugged Anna back and tugged her out of earshot of their friends. "Honestly, Papa was very nice to me, and he didn't make any kind of fuss. He doesn't like my magic, but I knew that already. I am trying to not worry about it anymore. What matters that he cares, and I know he does. I asked them to come visit for the festival."

Anna frowned. _Obviously Elsa genuinely believes that, but was Dad really nice to her like he should be? Or was he just doing what he thought he was "supposed" to? That I am not sure about. "_ Why did you do that?"

"Because I want us to be able to do something as a family. Anna, you don't need to worry about me. I can always retreat to my room or the castle gardens if I need to." _Besides, with Anna there I am fairly certain I would be fine anyhow._ Elsa looked down at her hands and then back at Anna. "I still do not understand it, but I really appreciate everything you do for me," she added. _"Especially_ the way you just treat me like a normal person."

"But you shouldn't have to do that in the first place. You're supposed to feel safe to be... _you_ at home. And you don't need to thank me for doing stuff I should be doing anyways!" Anna squeezed Elsa's pale, cool hands reassuringly; then worried she might be hurting Elsa's sore arm and let go of that one. "Sorry, I didn't mean to squish that hand if your arm still hurts some."

Elsa shook her head and gave Anna a rueful smile. "I don't mind you 'squishing' me. Come on, Anna, you know me. I would go off by myself sometimes anyway, whether I'm upset or not. And I do need to thank you, because it means everything to me. I would not be alive today if it wasn't for you." _I know that, and that is not me being morbid. It's just a fact._

"Every time I see you with Mom and Dad, you're all anxious and jumpy! Like more than usual-sorry Elsa that doesn't sound nice but it's true-so why would you go and purposely put yourself in a situation where you'll feel like that?" Anna didn't address Elsa's other comment because that knowledge was still a little scary to Anna, to know she was the only reason Elsa was still alive. She wondered what Elsa would do if something happened to her. _I don't think I want to know honestly..._

Elsa smoothed her skirts and sat in a pile of soft clean hay in the shade of the stables. Anna plopped down next to her. _How do I explain that to Anna when I can't explain it to myself...?_ "I love them and miss them quite a lot, even though they do make me feel anxious," she said slowly.

"I don't want you to feel like that!"

"But Anna, you have given me plenty of healthy coping skills by now. I know what to do when I feel that way. You want to see our parents, don't you?" Elsa asked hopefully. "And Papa hugged me. He _told_ me to master my magic..."

 _I hope Dad had good motives for telling Elsa that... "_ Yeah, I do want to see them, but-"

"Then let me handle it," Elsa interrupted quietly. "Please. This is important to me. I really do not want our family all split up because of me again. If you want to do something for me while Mama and Papa visit, just be the same sweet Anna you always are. Don't fuss at them. Don't give Papa an evil eye because he says something you don't like. Don't treat me any differently than you normally do-you don't have to...protect or hide me from them. Just you being around-even not saying a word-helps me." _Please understand, Anna. Please._

Anna frowned, but she nodded. _I don't wanna hold Elsa back from trying to do stuff that pushes her out of her comfort zone, but I still can't help worrying about her._ "All right, fine," she said out loud. _But if I see Elsa have even_ one _of her panicky anxiety episodes, and I know it's because of something Dad did or said, I'm gonna chew him out for that! And I_ will _protect her from our parents hurting her if I have to, so there. They never mean to make her upset but it still happens._ Anna gave Elsa a hug and just held her tightly. "I have got lots of friends but you'll always be my best friend, Elsa," Anna announced.

Elsa didn't think she would ever understand why Anna said things like that-didn't noisy rambunctious Anna ever get tired of her?-but it made her very, very happy all the same. "I'm so grateful to have you back. I know it has been over a year now, but it's still special for me."

Anna didn't like that Elsa still felt like her own sister caring about her and being around her was out of the ordinary, but she definitely understood it. _I mean, I feel like that too. Sometimes it's like Elsa's some magical dream and I'm scared I'll lose her again. Like...that mess with the white trolls._ She grabbed Elsa's hand and pulled her to her feet. "Well I'm glad to have YOU back. You kind of worry me a lot, but you also make me happy, too."

Elsa smiled. "I suppose it's mutual then. I would agree with that statement." _I need to try to not worry Anna, though. She does so much for me, that should be the least I can do._ "What exactly do I do that's worrisome? I shall do my best to fix those things."

"Elsa, you don't take care of yourself. Like I know you feel mostly happy and you're not, like, purposely trying to harm yourself, but you _never_ take care of, you know...you. Like when you get hurt and then don't rest. Or, when we're at home, working late into the night and then getting up at your usual stupid early wake up time. That's worrying to me." Anna hesitated before adding, "You also still inwardly treat yourself like garbage. I hate that. I don't want you thinking you don't deserve nice things."

"But I'm just _happy,_ I'm _grateful_ that you're willing to-"

"That's exactly what I mean!" Anna interrupted. "You act like I'm doing something out of the ordinary and heroic for just...treating you properly."

"Do you expect me to take that for granted?" Elsa asked quietly, clearly confused. _I don't understand. I won't ever take Anna's kindness for granted. Never, ever._

"Well, noooo, not exactly, but...I guess maybe I do," Anna amended. "You're my friend and my sister. That's what friends do. Take care of each other. I mean, I'm glad that you're happy, but I don't want you to be thinking _oh my gosh that nutty Anna is being nice to me, that's so weird and amazing._ Or-hey, you stop giggling! It's not funny!"

Elsa tried to stifle her giggles, but she just gave Anna a hug. "Anna, I think you are just going to have to deal with that. It's just...me. You being kind to me does make me happy, and I _will_ be grateful for it. It doesn't mean I think of myself as some worthless thing, it's just..." she trailed off, trying to think of some way to express what she meant. _A year and I still can't express how I feel verbally very well. Oh well._ "It's just very reassuring when you know you have someone that is always going to be there for you, even if you make horrible mistakes," she said finally. "That and you are always so understanding when I'm...having issues."

Anna scowled. "What do you think I'm gonna do, tell you to get it together and say you're upset over nothing? That's mean and it wouldn't help!"

"Sometimes it _is_ nothing."

"No, it's not nothing," Anna insisted. "It might be you imagining something, but that's still not nothing. It feels like something to you. That counts. You can't help it if you feel yucky sometimes."

Elsa was quiet for a moment, but she looked happy. _Anna is right. "_ Let's go see what the others are doing. They probably think we disappeared."

"Okay. But you just think about what I said!" Anna figured if Elsa was done discussing things, there wasn't much point in continuing to talk to her at the moment because she wouldn't listen. _At least she seems happy. That will have to be good enough!_

* * *

Soon Rapunzel was leading everyone through the streets of Corona on a mini tour. "See, there's the mural that made me first start wondering if I was the lost princess!"

"You look the same," Anna teased, tugging Kristoff over to the large mural.

"I do not!" Rapunzel protested, but she was giggling.

"Eh. She might be right," Eugene said thoughtfully, though it was obvious he was trying not to laugh.

Elsa trailed behind them and Olive, who was not saying much but clearly was enjoying all the new sights and sounds in Corona. Elsa wished she had just stayed back at the castle. With Anna and Rapunzel with Kristoff and Eugene, she felt a tiny bit left out, even though she had no wish to have a significant other herself at all and didn't want to talk and talk like Anna did. Also she was quite certain Anna would happily include her if she asked, but she wanted to let her little sister have time with Kristoff. She did not think Olive wanted to talk either, and besides, Olive probably didn't like her anyway.

Anna ran back to Elsa and tugged her over to the others. "Quit lagging behind, Elsa! I want you to have fun too." Then she motioned for Olive to join them too. _I wonder if Olive misses that boy that was with her in Dover when she first found us. Elsa I can read, she's just trying to be considerate and doesn't really like talking with groups if she doesn't have to, but I'm SURE she wants to be included._

"Sure is hot," Olive commented. "Can you cool us off, El-Queen Elsa?"

"You don't have to call me that, Olive," Elsa said firmly. She didn't particularly want to bring extra attention to herself and the rest of the group by cooling the air around them though, so she didn't. She would just deal with being hot until they arrived back at Corona castle. "I don't want to draw extra attention to us by using my magic."

"But Elsa, there's literally guards thinking they're being inconspicuous in front of and behind us," Rapunzel pointed out. "People might not be acting all weird around us but they sure know that I'm the Lost Princess and you and Anna are the Arendelle royalty. They're just not bugging us because it's rude."

"This isn't my country. I don't have a right to do that." Elsa thought she probably _would_ have cooled the air like Olive wanted if she was back home in Arendelle, but she also supposed that it wouldn't be as hot there in the first place anyway. In Arendelle most people were used to her by now. In Corona they didn't know her at all beyond being Arendelle's 'Snow Queen' and the Coronian princess's cousin. Even now Elsa felt like there were so many eyes staring at her, and she hated that. _I wonder if there is a way I could go around and_ not _be recognized. I think I would like that better._

Anna squeezed Elsa's chilly hand, knowing quite well shy Elsa did not want to attract extra attention if she didn't absolutely have to. "Let's just get in the shade out of the sun. That'll be cooler," she suggested. "Also let's go back soon. I'm tired." Anna really wasn't all that tired, but she knew Elsa was not going to say she wanted to go back to the castle. This wasn't like speaking up for Elsa in Anna's mind; no one was directly asking her a question like before. If that was the case then she would wait and see if Elsa would speak up herself again. _I'm just being considerate right now. Elsa would be totally fine if we stayed out longer. She just won't be enjoying herself._

 _I know you're just saying that for my sake, Anna,_ Elsa thought fondly, but she didn't say anything. Elsa wondered what her ice dragon Linnae was thinking about as she slept. Did the dragon dream, or was she just sleeping and not dreaming at all? What if those white troll creatures tried to somehow hurt Linnae? "Anna, do you think I should wake Linnae up?" she asked now. Elsa rubbed her sore arm, thinking about the trolls. _I feel like something is not quite right, but I'm not sure if there's actually something wrong or if I'm being paranoid..._

Olive gave her a sideways glance. "You know something about those white troll creatures that we don't. What is it?"

"I'm not sure. I just have this feeling that something is wrong-I don't know if I am being paranoid or if something is really not right," Elsa said honestly. _If it was Anna, she would probably know one way or the other. But I definitely don't._

Anna frowned, but then she had an idea. "Does your arm hurt more all of a sudden, or are you just rubbing it because you're thinking?" That should tell them whether Elsa could tell if something was really wrong or not. _We've got to help Elsa learn how to control Linnae soon...I almost forgot..._

"The former, but only a little," Elsa said honestly. She glanced back toward the Corona castle; Linnae was still sleeping on the roof and Elsa worried she might either be hurting her dragon by leaving her asleep for so long or the white trolls were somehow attacking Linnae remotely. _Or, of course, my arm is just sore and it doesn't mean anything at all._ "I think I should go back and check on Linnae."

"Okay. Maybe she can tell us if there's something wrong, Elsa," Anna suggested. "You guys can keep sightseeing! I'm gonna go back with Elsa." She linked arms with her sister and started back toward Corona castle.

Olive didn't say anything for a few minutes, but then she spoke up. "I think I'll go back too. I'm supposed to be here only for dealing with the magic issue and then return home eventually, and I want to see what Linnae says."

Rapunzel and Eugene exchanged glances, and Kristoff shrugged. "The other girls are probably right," Kristoff pointed out. "Linnae may be able to give us some more information we won't be able to get otherwise. The rock trolls at home might be able to help too, but we can't talk to Grand Pabbie until we get back to Arendelle."

* * *

"Linnae, please tell us what's wrong," Elsa said quietly but firmly awhile later. The dragon continued trying to shelter Anna and Elsa with her wings and made a frustrated snorting noise. "Don't snort at us. We need information, and you are the only one that has it."

 _You left me asleep! Those creatures were trying to make me turn on you but they could not wake me up!_ Linnae's 'voice' sounded frantic to Elsa. _They said I was useless and a danger to you and that was why you had not woken me up. It hurt. You need to get rid of me for now and bring me back later!_

Elsa inwardly cringed and patted Linnae's nose. The dragon blinked at her sadly. "I'm sorry, Linnae," she said softly.

"What did she say, Elsa?" Anna asked. _I know Elsa's dragon is sad, but I can't understand her._

 _Do not tell her, Elsa. Please. I do not wish her to know._ Linnae sat and put her front paws over her icy eyes. _You should get rid of me and bring me back once you have mastered your magic. You had no business making a life construct like me then. You still do not. Not yet. I am sorry, Elsa, but it is true._

Elsa fiddled with her skirt nervously. "Linnae said to please not tell you..." _What am I supposed to do? Isn't dissolving Linnae cruel? I'd be killing her. She says I can bring her back eventually, but what if I'm_ never _an ice master? What if I can't? I don't even want to be part of that League of Seven thing. Is it possible for me to be an ice master and_ not _be part of it?_

"...Oh." Anna couldn't help feeling a little hurt, because Linnae was from Elsa, and Linnae not wanting her to know something felt like Elsa herself not wanting her to know something. Then she felt Olaf hugging her leg, and that made her feel better because Olaf was also from Elsa. Linnae seemed to retain more of her creator's fragile easily hurt emotions than Olaf, who mostly just had Elsa's childish and happy emotions, and represented his creator's and her sister's happy childhood memories.

Linnae was a guardian construct, not merely a companion like little Olaf, and she felt useless when she couldn't or wasn't allowed to protect 'her' humans. Evidently leaving her asleep-and hearing things from those white troll creatures-did _not_ help one bit. Anna decided she felt bad for the ice dragon-and Elsa, because those feelings must also belong to her to some extent as well. _I'm going to ask her about that later. Elsa's dragon feeling like that is bad enough, I won't have Elsa feeling that way too. "_ Linnae, just at least tell Elsa everything, okay? We need your help," she said gently, patting Linnae's neck.

The dragon blinked at Anna. _Tell Anna all of what I say. I have changed my mind. She is trustworthy,_ Linnae informed Elsa. _We are lucky to have her._

"Linnae says you are trustworthy," Elsa told Anna with a smile. To Linnae she 'said', _Yes, we are_ extremely _lucky to have Anna. "_ The problem before was that the white trolls were trying to force her to turn on us, but they could not wake her up. However they were also telling her some cruel things and it made her upset." She paused before adding quietly, "And she's still saying I need to get rid of her and bring her back later on after I have mastered my powers."

Anna frowned. "Maybe she's right, Elsa. I mean shouldn't Linnae know that better than us? She's purely from your magic, so she's probably got better magical knowledge than you do consciously, and I don't mean that as a bad thing, I just mean your regular human self can't consciously know _everything_ having to do with magic. I don't think it's mean if she knows you'll bring her back once you're able to safely. Right, Linnae?"

Linnae nodded and nuzzled at Anna's hair. _Inform Anna she is completely correct, Elsa. Your ordinary human self has tried too hard to suppress her magical knowledge for too long. You did not practice as a child and your good instincts are not enough yet._

"I can't just kill her!" Elsa protested. _That is just horrible. Why is this even a discussion? "_ Linnae says you are 'completely correct'," Elsa said softly.

 _You would not be killing me, Elsa. I am from you. You are not dead. Your magic needs help. I believe getting rid of me would help you at present. You are so worried about not being able to keep me from being...poisoned. If you recreated me later on you would be easily able to do that._ Linnae wrapped one of her big icy wings around Elsa. _Elsa, you need to do what is necessary. You cannot risk those creatures gaining control of me. It would be dangerous for you and it would hurt me. You dissolving me temporarily would not hurt._

Elsa buried her face in Linnae's neck. "What if you sleep again? You said they couldn't wake you up," she said now.

 _No! No! That is torture. I would much prefer you get rid of me for now. I would just be...gone temporarily, back inside you as part of your magic with no separate consciousness, and it would not hurt me. Those creatures scare me. You know I am just a facet of your own emotions. Therefore you can bring me back anytime you wish later on._ Linnae paused and then added, _I know that you are scared of the League of Seven. You well should be. But you can master your powers and not be part of it._

Elsa jumped and glanced at Anna. "I'm worried about Anna."

 _You should be, '_ said' Linnae, but it wasn't her voice. Then Linnae shook herself all over, like a dog might, and stared right at Elsa. _Do it now. You need to protect Anna. The creatures will kill her through me if they feel like it. Do you know what she is?_

Elsa stepped protectively in front of Anna and pushed her little sister behind her. Anna reached for Elsa's hand and gave her a strong squeeze. "She's not magical. Linnae, tell those trolls they do not need her for anything," Elsa ordered. Elsa ignored the worried looks from Corona guards and Rapunzel's parents and her own. _Elsa, be ready for anything. Anything._

"Yeah, I'm useless. Super useless to the trolls," Anna said quickly. "They said so!"

Linnae fidgeted and seemed to be fighting something. _Yes, she is useless to them on her own, but she also controls the most powerful mage currently alive. One that is-sorry Elsa-not very knowledgeable about her abilities. That makes Anna dangerous to them. She makes you stronger. Much._

Elsa glanced back at Anna, who was still holding her hand. _What do I do now?_ She bit her lip and just said quietly, "Anna, I want you to go inside and take care of our parents and Rapunzel's. Now."

"No, I'll stay here, I trust you and-"

"Anna, do it now. I mean it!" Linnae roughly pushed her over, and Elsa shoved Anna out of the way to safety. Elsa stared Linnae in her icy eyes. _Linnae, tell me the truth. You, not those creatures. Am I capable of keeping_ you _safe?_

Linnae closed her eyes, her wings twitching nervously. _No. You cannot yet. Please, Elsa, they will make me hurt you or Anna. They are not allowed to directly hurt or kill non-mages themselves, but their society rules let them use me to do so._ Linnae's head snapped towards Anna and their parents. _Elsa! I can talk to you but I cannot control what I am doing. You might not care if I hurt you, but you will care if I hurt Anna._

Elsa kept her focus on the dragon, deciding to trust Anna to take care of anyone in the area. _Ask them what they want from me to let all of us be,_ she asked mentally.

Linnae stared at her and seemed to relax slightly. _We need to be able to control how that amount of power is used,_ a troll said through Linnae. _You must never be part of the League of Seven. You must stay away from your power multiplier or kill it._

Elsa bit her lip hard, having a sick feeling she knew just what that "power multiplier" was. _It's Anna. I know it's Anna._ She glanced over at one of the castle windows; Anna was standing there with their mother, waving and giving her a thumbs up. Closing her eyes, she concentrated hard and sent back, _What will you do if I decline?_ The white trolls were magical creatures; she should be able to mind-message them as easily as she did her dragon, right? Elsa stumbled back when she felt _many_ replies flooding back.

 _Kill the power multiplier._

 _You won't decline._

 _Force you to return here._

 _The fire mage will die._

 _Time may change slightly._

Elsa put her hands over her ears, as if that might stop the onslaught inside. _Stop it! Stop, stop, stop._ It _hurt,_ and she had no idea how to shut the messages away and force it to stop. This wasn't her usual magic use, and _love will thaw_ wasn't going to fix it. Ice flooded through her, as if the attack was external instead of inside.

Olive hadn't heard or seen most of what had just transpired when she walked over to Linnae and Elsa, but she knew enough to know that Elsa magic trouble meant she should probably fetch Anna. "Linnae, what happened?"

 _I cannot fix it. She experimented with something new with her magic with the wrong creatures._ Linnae stared at Olive and then lay down. _Get Anna. She may help. I am going to sleep. Torture is preferable to harming my humans I must guard._ Elsa's ice dragon was determined to do whatever she could to keep the people she loved safe, even if it hurt her.

Olive was puzzled but nodded. "Got it. Q-Elsa, let's go find Anna. Come on," she said firmly. When Elsa didn't answer, she hesitantly reached to just guide her inside, but immediately jerked her hand back, her skin crackling with bitterly cold frost. Elsa was absolutely _freezing,_ even though her magic wasn't leaking out at all or otherwise making what Elsa called a power mistake.

Anna, who had been watching from the window, ran to find a blanket and then darted back outside shouting Elsa's name. "Hey, Olive, go inside and calm everybody down, okay? Tell them everything's under control and Elsa just hurt herself doing so. That'll be fine."

"...Is it?" Olive asked dubiously.

" _Yes,"_ Anna said pointedly. "Just do it. My sister can handle this." _With help._ My _help,_ Anna thought to herself. _Those stupid trolls told us as much._

"She can't even hear us. How-"

"She doesn't need to hear us! Please, Olive, just do as I say! I'll explain later." Anna waited until satisfied that the plant mage had gone inside and Linnae was sleeping again before turning her focus back to Elsa. _I may not know what happened, but I know I can help her._

Elsa was still standing there with her eyes scrunched shut, her hands over her ears, not really registering anything going on around her. _Please make it stop. I'm scared I might pass out or something and they'll control me too. Or read my mind._

 _It really hurts. You're not getting in my memories, you ridiculous creatures!_

 _WE CANNOT DO THAT!_ the creatures screeched in frustration. Elsa yelped in pain and surprise, and she somewhat sensed someone picking her up. _What...stop. What if it's-why can't I stop this, I know it's possible..._

Anna glanced around and then just headed for the nearest empty clean stall in the stables. That would be quiet and safe, and it had been nice in there talking to Elsa earlier. Then she ordered the stablehands to leave, saying they could go consult King Thomas if they questioned listening to her, knowing her uncle would back her up. To her surprise, they all immediately obeyed her. _Wow. They actually listened. I'm impressed._ Once she was sure no one was around, she began talking to Elsa, not caring whether she could hear or not. "Elsa, you're not panicking. Shut those stupid creatures out and come back. I know you can. Maybe your magic can force them out and not let them talk to you. Cause I know that's what is going on."

 _I have Anna here with me. She came back._ Relieved tears ran down Elsa's cheeks, and she felt safer in Anna's warm arms. _Elsa, you need to tell her what's wrong or she can't help,_ some bit of logic told her. _I don't know how. Can I talk? It's like I can think, but I'm lost somewhere under an...an avalanche of horrible things._ "I...I can't...ex...explain what-"

 _Your useless human is going to die,_ one message stood out to her, blazing like fire.

Elsa's words broke off entirely. Anna didn't press for more; she just hugged the older girl close and didn't let go. _Try again, Elsa. Anna is here. They are trying to hurt you and it's working._ "I...can't...shut..it...off. It...it hurts. Literally and- _Anna I can't lose you!"_

"You're not going to lose me. Hey even if I died you get to see me again eventually. You know that." Anna could tell Elsa was still freezing, but she wasn't shaking so much anymore.

 _Not eventually. I would let someone kill me if I lost Anna,_ Elsa thought vehemently, but she was not going to tell Anna that. A sudden thought slammed into her. The white trolls wanted to kill Anna because they wanted to control her and steal her magic. If she was dead, they could never do that. They needed her alive but helpless, not dead and gone. _It may be morbid, but I don't care. It's true._ She messaged back to the creatures, _You lay one finger on my 'power multiplier' and I will die. You will_ never _have a chance to control me. I swear it._

The horrible messages abruptly ceased, as if surprised by getting an answer. _You would kill yourself for an ordinary human? Ridiculous._

Elsa smiled and relaxed. _Check. I have a weapon against those things, so there._ She messaged back darkly, _I have attempted before. That "useless human" saved me. You touch her and there is nothing to stop me, you horrid things._ Anna had told her she should accept her weaknesses and use them to her advantage? Fine. She would then. "Thank you, Anna," she whispered.

A gravelly voice replied, _We will abide by this. We will not touch the girl._

 _See to it that you don't,_ Elsa shot back.

"I knew you could do it," Anna said now, rubbing Elsa's shoulder, trying to get her to relax. "What...fixed it? And are you really okay?"

"You did. I told them if they laid a finger on you, I would die." Elsa's quiet voice was confident and matter of fact.

"Elsa! Why'd you say that?!" Anna sounded horrified. _Elsa, what the heck?! What is she even thinking? Is Elsa okay? Why would she admit something like that...?_

"Because they need me alive, that's why." Elsa was quiet for a moment before she added, "You told me I should accept and use my weaknesses to my own advantage instead of...hating myself for them." _Maybe I shouldn't have said that..._

"Yeah, I did, but...I know you weren't exaggerating, and I don't like that. Elsa, what if something happened to me that was ordinary causes or something, like if I got really sick? I don't want you to...do that..." Anna clutched Elsa tightly.

Elsa was silent for a long time before she answered. _I'll be honest. Anna won't be angry, and I know she would understand._ "I don't think I would last very long if something like that happened," she said slowly. "I think I could _try_ for awhile, but I'd just...I couldn't...stay here without you. I think I'd die without me...you know...purposely doing anything." _At best I'd just be a shell of myself and go back to my room and wait. Just wait. I can't function right without Anna._

Anna had nothing to say to that, so she just sat there with Elsa for awhile and was quiet. Of course Elsa had said that. It was Elsa. _She might be happy now, but that just shows how much she's not okay. I hate it. I don't want Elsa to rely on me like that. She doesn't have any value she places on herself at all. She's happy but still doesn't think to fight for herself. She just fights for herself because she wants to protect others. "_ Are you...okay now?"

"Yes. I think that I need to do what Linnae wanted though. That was horrible. No wonder Linnae said she didn't want to go back to sleep. I still have an awful headache, but I'm okay," Elsa said truthfully. _I may have Anna to help me, but I don't think either of us can help Linnae like Anna did for me._ She was quite sure that Anna could help her because she was just a human girl, albeit one with magic. Linnae was _only_ magic, and she wasn't strong enough by herself to stop the white trolls from hurting or controlling her because Elsa hadn't created her properly since she did not know how.

"You can...talk to those creatures, but you aren't a telepath. That means most likely Olive and maybe Rapunzel can too. We shouldn't try that obviously, but I think we should go to see _our_ trolls immediately when we get home." Anna knew Elsa did not like the rock trolls, but there was no other source for them to get troll knowledge from. Kristoff knew some things, but not everything.

Elsa sighed deeply and studied her hands. "I need to assure our parents and Rapunzel's that everything is all right. Then I need a nap, I think. Tomorrow we go home. I've left poor Kai and Gerda to deal with my responsibilities at home long enough," she said firmly.

"Elsa, do you really feel up to traveling tomorrow? If you de-create Linnae, it'll take awhile to get home," Anna pointed out hesitantly. _And everything is not all right. I can't say that, but...I don't think this is really over._

"Kristoff has the power crystals from the rock trolls. It'll be fine." Elsa looked down at her hands and then at Anna. "Will you...ah, stay until Linnae is...gone? She loves you too. I want you there." Elsa's big blue eyes shone with tears. "I know _I_ made Linnae, but I still really care about her. I don't want to get rid of her."

"She'll just be sort of back sleeping inside you as part of your magic, Elsa," Anna said gently. "You aren't killing her, you're just letting her be at peace until you're able to recreate her safely."

"That's like saying it would have been okay to kill _me.._.before, because I was hurting."

"No it's not. Linnae's not a human, she's a magical life construct you can create and de-create at will. Whatever emotions and life she has are extensions of yours. And," Anna sounded choked, as if she were trying not to cry, "you can bring Linnae back anytime you want. I wouldn't be able to do that for you."

Elsa gave Anna a hug. "It's okay, Anna. I'm not going anywhere as long as you're here. At least not...because of me. I can't promise nothing will happen to me, but I can promise it will _not_ be because of...that," she assured Anna. _Never again. I won't hurt Anna by doing that to myself again._

"Thanks, Elsa. I know it, I trust you. Let's go give Linnae some help 'til you can bring her back again safely. I'll stay with you. I know she's like your guard pet and you really care about her." Anna pulled Elsa back over to the sleeping Linnae.

Elsa woke Linnae up, and the dragon seemed to be startled and literally jumped over the two girls before wrapping one of her wings around them. _Thank you, Elsa. Did Anna help you see sense?_

"She did. Also, I now understand why you didn't want me to leave you asleep right now." Elsa stroked Linnae's icy nose. "I'm really sorry, Linnae."

 _No, do not be sorry! I am happy. I shall help your magic be stronger too once I am just part of your powers again._ Linnae sat in front of them expectantly and just blinked peacefully at Anna and Elsa. _Hurry up before they take me over again, Elsa. I want to say one last thing. Tell Anna I say thank you for caring about us. We would not exist without her._

Elsa smiled a bit. "Linnae says, 'Tell Anna I say thank you for caring about us. We would not exist without her'," she said quietly to Anna. Linnae nuzzled Elsa's hair, and she stroked the dragon's neck. _I still don't want to do this for now, but I know it's the right thing to do._

 _Anna will take care of you, Elsa. I shall be just part of your magic until you are able to bring me back. I am not sad, and I am from you, so you should not be sad either._ Linnae was clearly okay and happy at the moment and would continue trying to reassure her worried creator. _Tell Anna I say, I am trusting you to keep Elsa safe. And tell her I say goodbye for now._

"She also says to you, 'I am trusting you to keep E-Elsa safe. Goodbye for now," Elsa relayed Linnae's message to Anna, her voice shaky. _Come on, Elsa, you know this is right. Do it now before those creatures hurt Linnae again. You're going to master your powers and bring her back._ "Good-bye for now, Linnae. We'll see you s-soon."

 _It is not good-bye. I am part of your magic and you are not dissolving that, obviously! You can protect Anna without me for now. I love you, Elsa._ Linnae's 'voice' was calm and happy now.

Anna squeezed Elsa's hand. "Don't worry, Linnae, I'll do my absolute best to keep her safe. I did help get her out of the white troll lair, remember. She's safe."

Linnae nodded and contentedly closed her eyes as Elsa lifted her free hand. _Anna and Elsa shall be safe and I shall be back soon._ The ice dragon dissolved into blue sparkles of Elsa's magic, and Elsa nearly stumbled backwards into Anna at the sudden rush of her own magical power inside her. Like Linnae had said, she was simply back as pure ice magic again inside Elsa herself.

Elsa wondered briefly if creating powerful life constructs like Linnae somehow drained her own life force.

"Whoa, are you okay?" Anna asked, clearly concerned. _That was so...simple. Why is Elsa able to do that so easily? What if it hurt her?_ She frowned and kept an arm around Elsa's shoulders.

"I...I think so. I just wasn't expecting to feel like I was _receiving_ magic instead of _using_ magic..." Elsa let Anna guide her back inside, thinking she would just nap for a bit before mulling it over any more. _What have I done? I know I didn't hurt Linnae, she said so and I could feel that, but..._

"Oh. Well I mean that makes sense, Linnae was alive and from you, so she gave the magic you gave her back to you," Anna pointed out. _Right? That must be it! I'll ask Kristoff what he thinks._

"I suppose." Elsa sounded 'off' to Anna, and Anna squeezed Elsa's hand as they went back to the guest room they were staying in while in Corona castle.

"I think maybe you should take a nap, Elsa. Would you like me to tell Rapunzel's parents and ours what happened?" Anna offered. _If Elsa is not feeling great she needs to sleep. Maybe if she knows I'll take care of stuff for her, she will be willing to rest._

"...All right." Elsa smiled ruefully and shook her head. "My magic feels _extremely_ awake right now, but the rest of me doesn't." She curled up on her bed and closed her eyes. "Thank you for making Linnae and me happy." _We'll go home in the morning. I will figure everything out there._ "And yes, please tell them. I trust you."

Anna decided she would go explain like she has offered, and then ask Kristoff about life constructs. Elsa saying her magic felt awake and the rest of her didn't kind of disturbed her. "Okay. I will. And, um...just, thanks for trusting me. It means a lot."

Elsa blinked in surprise at Anna. "Well, you're welcome, but...lots of people trust you."

"Maybe, maybe not, but you don't trust lots of people, so having your trust is super valuable. Besides you're my sister and I like to have my sister's trust." Anna paused before adding, "I'll go tell everyone what's what, but then I'm coming straight back here. Okay?"

"Okay."

 **A/N: I know I originally planned for Anna and Elsa to get home to Arendelle this chapter, but I had so much trouble figuring out how to write Linnae's disappearing for now. I finally decided it was best to keep it simple and to the point, because, well...it IS simple. And a little too easy for Elsa to do, which she doesn't like. No worries, Linnae isn't "dead"; Elsa can bring her back eventually if she wants to.:)**

 **There will be some actual action next chapter, so hopefully it will turn out better than this one...**

 **Next chapter coming sometime soon!**


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